


Summer Skin

by Lacrimosa (humanyubel)



Series: Time is of the Essence [2]
Category: Digimon Frontier
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Middle School, Aromantic Character, Asexual Character, Dysphoria, F/F, F/M, Family Issues, Gen, Graphic Description, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Lucemon - Freeform, M/M, Major Character Undeath, Mentions of Getting Bit by a Dog in chapter 1, Minor Character Death, Multi, Murder, Not strictly linear story, Other, Past Character Death, Possibly Cosmic Horror, Possibly Magical Girl Themes and Elements, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Temporary Character Death, Time Loop, Time Skips, Trans Character, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character, Unrequited Love, accidental misgendering, just girls being pals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-06-10 08:28:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6947746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/humanyubel/pseuds/Lacrimosa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>School's always been the same.</p><p>12.27.2017 <a href="https://pastebin.com/rLNQ0Zg4">tracklist</a> not fully in order?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Start

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ritspoon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ritspoon/gifts).



> FULLY EDITED. NO SPELLING ERRORS I COULD FIND. SORRY I HAD NO MOTIVATION TO PROOF READ THIS.
> 
> GOD MY WRITING WAS SO BAD

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mind fuzz and dreams that probably aren't based on truth.

_ A narrow body cradled Takuya in their arms, shaking him. His school jacket flapped and he felt so cold. He didn’t like the cold. He could hear wherever he was shaking. He wasn’t scared, he realized. He felt quite a few things, peace, worry (but for who?), and longing; but fear held no place in the list. The air was thick with failure. _

 

_ “Takuya….Takuya...please ..wake up! Wake up your jerk! You can’t just-” He feels a shaking hand comb the hair out of his face and settle against the apple of his cheek. His shirt is torn and he’s bleeding. _

 

_ “Damn it! Wake up Damn it!!!” _

 

“Takuya you better wake up young man! You’re going to be late for your first day of the school year and you promised to walk Shinya to school this morning!”

 

Takuya starts awake. Sweat sticking his bangs to his forehead like super glue. His eyes flash over to the alarm clock next to his bed and he lets out a loud “LATE!” before hopping out of the bed. He grabs his binder and slips it on over his head. Like always, it gets stuck. He spends a solid two minutes hopping around blindly before yelling for his mom.

 

“Mom I need your help!” He calls out, his boisterous voice muffled by the fabric.

 

“Takuya… You have to give yourself time in the morning.” She chides, setting something down before she moves to help him. In three tugs they have his binder on, he moves to his chair where he had left his clothes the night before but finds nothing. He panics for a second before his mother clears her throat and nods her head towards his bed.

 

“You were too preoccupied to lay your new uniform out.” She smiles at him, though he can tell she’s frustrated, she isn’t mad. It had taken quite a while to take the measurements for him but it was worth it to see her son look comfortable in his uniform. 

 

“Keep your jacket buttoned up, it’s still cold out and remember: you can’t wear your goggles in school. You and Shinya have a good day!”

 

He leans over and gives her a quick kiss on her pleasantly round cheek, then slips the goggles around his neck. Takuya runs out of the door only to come back forty seconds later. He slips on his olive colored gloves with his teeth. He knew it must be stressful having two overactive, scatter-brained sons.

 

He’s ushering Shinya out like he’s a puppy that can’t follow verbal commands very well. So, like ke any big brother in a hurry with his brother in tow, he issues a race between the two of them. 

 

His goggles clack together but he pays them no mind, he only runs faster. As they run past the suburbs, Shinya lagging behind by a short distance, he hears barking. His head whips in the direction of the sudden noise, he’s on alert. He still remembered the time Shinya got bit by a dog when he was little. When his eyes locate where the noise is coming from, his brain turns to static. A boy with long, dark blue hair in a ponytail was struggling to control a dog noticeably stronger than him. An itch began in the back of his mind and he couldn’t take his eyes off of the other. 

 

“Down! Don’t chase after-!” The large dog ignores his owner, panting happily as it knocked its owner off his feet and proceeded to drag him along. 

 

The boy yelped half formed curses, trying to ground himself.

 

“Big brother!” Shinya huffs, he must’ve noticed something wasn’t right.

 

“Yeah?” He asks, finally shaking himself out of his stupor. The static is still there, but it’s dull. Like T.V. Static in the dead of night.

 

“We’re going to miss my school completely if we go this way any longer!” He points out. He’s obviously out of breath; but he continues on, his backback slapping against his back and the blur of his older brother only spurring him on.

 

Takuya himself doesn’t slow down, he speeds up after looking at his watch. “You’re gonna be late, hurry up Shinya!”

 

“Isn’t this your fault?!” Shinya snaps. Takuya doesn’t reply, he’d stick his tongue out if he wasn’t worried he’d bite it clean off by accident.

 

The short bit of the remaining run is quiet, save for the sounds of their breathing, shoes beating the ground in a harsh rhythm as the city sounds fill in the gaps.

 

\------

 

He’s sliding into his seat just as the bell rings.

 

The teacher introduces herself as Akagi, their home room teacher. She’s very attractive and many of the boys are whispering to each other, blushes staining their faces. She had light blue hair and brown eyes. Wait? Brown hair and eyes? She wore blue eye makeup and her lips were perfectly lined. Her dress shirt had the first two buttons undone. She winks at a few boys but then again Takuya could be seeing things wrong. There’s a beauty mark under her right eye that seems more like a pinhole the longer Takuya looks. A pinhole for a tiny monster to crawl inside and control his teacher’s body. 

 

She quickly takes attendance then she goes on to explain the school rules everyone had already read before they were allowed to enroll. Takuya found it a complete waste of time but he’s happy for the time to space out before actual lessons. “Your slippers are going to be color coded from now on. Green for the boys and purple for the girls.” He already has a bad feeling about this. She was in the middle of explaining the rules of free times when the boy with the dog walks in. His hair’s a mess and his uniforms dirty. A few twigs stick up from the tangle of his uniform. He looks like a gag monster. 

 

Akagi sensei turns her attention on him, frown causing a small crease in her forehead. “Minamoto kun?”

 

“I’m sorry...My dog dragged me through the better part of downtown. I won’t let it happen again.” He bows his head, hoping to not anger her further.

 

“Take a seat behind  Kanbara kun. That will be your seat, since today is the first day of school I’ll let you off with a warning.” She looks at him and nods.

 

“Thank you.” He nods back, sliding into the seat behind Takuya.

 

Takuya fidgets for the next twenty minutes, wanting to look behind him to look at the guy- Minamoto- again. 

 

Akagi Sensei begins to start their first class of the day, Japanese Language. While her back is turned to the class he stops resisting the urge to look behind him. 

 

“Hey, hey what’s your name?” He whispers, only being loud enough for the other to hear. He doesn’t give a response for some time. “Did you hear me?”

 

“I heard you, and she said my name when I first came in.” He isn’t rude but at the same time, he isn’t a shining example of politeness. He’s just cold. Like he doesn’t want to be close to anyone.

 

“No not your family name, your given name!”

 

“Why should I tell you?” 

 

“Because I feel like I know you from somew-”

 

“Kanbara kun, is there something interesting about Minamoto kun that the class should be aware of? It is distracting you, you might as well let the whole class know.”

 

“Um….” He freezes, voice nearly cracking. “I saw him this morning and I just wanted to ask if he was okay.” He thanks everything he can think of that he was born the type to think best on their feet.

 

“I’m glad to see you’re concerned about your classmates, but please pay attention to the lesson. If Minamoto kun has to, he is excused to go visit the nurse’s office.”

 

“I’m fine, thank you sensei.”

 

When Akagi sensei turns back to the board, he feels the boy behind him glaring holes into the back of his head.

 

\------

 

It was only his first day and he had a bad feeling about this.

 

\-----

The rest of his morning was fairly uneventful, he was so bored he didn’t hear the bell ringing for lunch time until he saw other kids filing out of the room. He reached for his book bag before realizing he had no lunch. He decided to go to the bathroom to stretch in private and cough a little bit before returning to the empty classroom. Now he probably looked like a loser sitting by himself in an empty classroom during lunch. He opens the sliding door, right off the bat noticing something on his desk. It was a small lunch box. He walked over to it and read the note on it  _ “Takuya”.  _ He laughs to himself. “I can’t believe I missed that?” He thinks little of it, having found things he had been looking before turn up where it should’ve been obvious to see.

 

He opens the box and grins. “Thanks Mom!”

 

It wasn’t much but it was his favorite. Hamburger. Funny though...He didn’t remember his mother buying hamburger recently. Nonetheless he ate the lunch before him with vigor.

 

\----

  
Afternoon classes passed on the same as morning classes. He wished he had gym today, but he was in the group from his grade that went tomorrow. He spent the majority of class time trying not to fall asleep by doodling fruit. They looked like apples and pomegranates. 

  
  


\----

 

After school he runs to Shinya’s elementary school to walk him home. They walk home this time, Shinya telling him all about his day. How some girl Akiko had gotten sent to the principle's for punching her classmate in the face. Shinya informs him that the boy had called her a pig, so he didn’t feel bad for the boy.

 

He then tells Takuya about how he met a boy named Daisuke who played the same video games as he did. They had, apparently, been fast friends. He smiles, ruffling his little brother’s hair. He remembers a time when he had been annoyed with Shinya’s brattiness. His mother said it had just been hormones making him moody.

 

Shinya continues to talk animatedly the rest of the way home until their mother told him to wash up for dinner.

 

“Hey mom? Thanks for the lunch today!” He calls from the bathroom with Shinya, they took turns washing their faces, their hands, and behind their ears.

 

“Lunch?” He can hear the frown in his mother’s voice. “You left your lunch here this morning.” He feels his stomach drop and the static in his head returns. Something wasn’t right. This was too familiar.

 

He’s unable to eat dinner that night, the static in his head making it too hard to focus on anything.

 


	2. Run (1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tomorrow brings another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Accidental self harm towards the middle  
> Slow build.

The third day of school isn’t very special in Takuya’s opinion. He was already bored out of his mind. He figured he’d join an after school sports since Shinya had brought up wanting to join the school’s Kendo club. While he thinks Kendo’s cool, he’d rather not join a club for it. He prefers being free and even though he enjoys working with others and competing, he thinks joining a sport just for the opportunity to socialize wouldn’t do him any good. He was already great at soccer.

 

So he picks the best choice in his opinion: Track and Field. 

 

He’d be able to challenge himself and others, and what’s better than that? Nothing. He already felt adrenaline pulsing in his veins. 

 

He tells Shinya of his plans on the way home from school that day, smiling at Shinya’s excitement. “You know that you’ll have to come to my meets, right Shinya?”

 

“Yeah! But only if you come to mine, okay?”

 

“It’s a promise.” They lock their pinkies together, grinning in unison. 

 

\----

 

“Hey Mom, I was wondering if you could sign my form for me to get into Track and Field.” He asks that night at dinner. His Mother asks him to pass him the drink pitcher, pouring herself a glass of the Lemonade he and Shinya had made, impatient for summer. 

 

She takes a sip, face scrunching up. She doesn’t say that it’s too sugary, but he can read her face. He takes a gulp of the drink before him. It feels like a challenge, as if by doing something silly like that will earn him the right to do an after school sport. 

 

“You can’t run in your binder, you’ll have to wear a sports bra and probably a larger shirt. Just as a precaution.”

 

“I know, I don’t run in it.” Out of the corner of his eye he sees Shinya bite the inside of his cheek. He’s glad that he and Shinya are on good terms where they don’t rat eachother out. He still fumes at the memory of a younger Shinya telling his mother that he had cut his hair and that the hair was  _ all _ over the bathroom.

 

“Hand me the form after dinner and I’ll sign it.” It had been a lot easier than he’d thought it’d be. He lets out a silent sigh and goes back to poking at his dinner. He’d been so excited he had lost his appetite. He’d have to sneak down stairs for left overs later tonight.

 

Shinya chatters on about some new video game he wants, and even if Takuya had wanted to hang onto every word he found himself unable. He hears snippets of the conversation. 

 

“Mom can you get me Monster Hunter Freedom 2 for me for my birthday! I’ve been really really good all year!”

 

“We’ll see Shinya, I can’t make any promises.”

 

The next time Takuya’s able to focus, they’re finishing up. Which meant he had to wash and Shinya dry while their mother got ready for her job. It was at the grocery half a block away, that way if they needed her she could get home fairly quickly. 

 

She heads upstairs to change into her work uniform. Takuya starts up the water, not really thinking about it. He holds his hand out for Shinya to give him the plates, Shinya doing so quickly.  _ ‘His favorite cartoon must be coming on soon…’  _ He washes the plates in the sink absentmindedly, going through the motions as they came. He passes Shinya the now clean plate to dry, starting on the next one.

 

Shinya winces, trying to dry the plate off quickly so he could set it down. They spend the next few moments in relative silence, clock ticking. When they’re done Takuya just stands there, hands in the water. He feels himself relaxing but he can’t for the life of him understand why. He doesn’t need a reason at this point, but his brain itches. 

 

“Big brother….Big brother?” he thinks Shinya’s talking to him, maybe he is. He turns his head just to be sure. “Big brother your hands are all red again!”

 

“Oh…” He glances down at his reddened hands. He had scalded them in the hot water.

 

“You had the sink on the hottest setting, you have to stop doing that or Mom’s gonna get mad and make me do the dishes instead! We both know I can’t do dishes right!”

 

“It doesn’t hurt Shinya.” he insists but Shinya glares at him until he sighs in defeat. “Get me the cream.”

 

He puts it on even though it doesn’t hurt. He’d rather not have Shinya yell at him until he got a headache. “I’m gonna turn in early, you fine down here by yourself?”

 

“Yeah.” Shinya says from his place sitting before the t.v.

 

“Don’t stay up past nine and brush your teeth you smell like you’ve been kissing a dog.”

 

“I do not!!” Takuya narrowly avoids a pillow to the head for that comment.

 

\-----

 

Takuya collapses face first into the bed, laying there for a full minute before he can practically hear his Mother hounding on him not to sleep in his binder. He sits up enough to take his shirt and binder off, grabbing the shirt underneath his pillow and slipping it on. With that settled he falls back into his bed and slips away in record time.

 

\----

 

_ “Takuya! Can you hear me? Wake up, wake up, wake up!” There’s tears plopping down onto his cheeks. He musters up enough strength to shakily reached his hand out to hold the mystery individual’s hand. He hears them choke out what sounds like his name once more. _

 

_ When he speaks, he speaks in a voice that is and isn’t his own. It sounds strange and hard, like he’s been living longer than the 14 years he knows he has. _

 

_ His surroundings become clearer, though he can’t open his eyes. He can smell something now. It smells like burning rubber and ash. Right now he focuses on a scent he’s familiar with, but doesn’t know. It smells like flowers just before they die. _

 

_ The hand holding his is sweaty and shakes in his grip. He squeezes weekly and the shivers cease, if only lightly. He coughs up blood. He knows it splatters against the other person’s face. He can’t find it in him to apologize too focused on comforting them.  _

 

_ “It’s okay. Don’t get so upset, Ko-” _

 

He bolts upright, as if shocked by 12,000 volts of lightning. His stomach grumbles loudly and his head feels fit to burst. There’s a sporadic pounding and the static’s back. Takuya’s body lurches out of bed on its own accord. He stands there panting by his bed, for a beat, trying to calm his racing heart. His stomach feels like it’s dropped.

 

“What was that?”

 

He pads softly down the stairs, he had to deal with his stomach before he could even bother trying to process his dream. 

 

\-----

  
He eats a small portion of the leftovers, planning on eating the rest for lunch tomorrow.

 

He can’t shake the feeling of dread trickling down his spine, setting heavily some place in the cage of his ribs.

\-----

 

Takuya drops Shinya off earlier today, he wanted to get to see the track field before he turned in his slip. It’s still chilly out and the grass has a kiss of rain dew still on it from earlier this morning. He walks until he stands in the middle of the middle of it all. Glancing around he frowns. He had felt eyes on the back of his head, all is silent but he can feel their presence. 

 

The sun hasn’t left its place from behind the clouds and it feels darker. He isn’t afraid of the dark or shadows, quite the opposite. For some reason he feels a wave of comfort wash over him. Maybe he would come out here again.

 

After enduring a few minutes of the deafening silence, he sprints from the field. 

 

He isn’t sure if he’s running from or to something.

 

\----

 

After school he heads straight to the field again. There’s a group of students gathered in a semi-circle there already, their school was known for starting clubs early off in the year. He scans the faces around him and is surprised to feel something akin to longing in his chest. It must be the material of the sports bra he was wearing.

 

“Alright everyone!” a boy about two years above them makes his way to the middle of the group. “We’re here for slips and try outs. Some have requested to try out privately and have already been tested, some are here by recommendation. Let’s try our best and have fun!”

 

His peers stand in a line, ready to hand their slips in. He knows this is just the mile today. He has nothing to worry about.

 

\----

 

“Ready, set, go!” The senior blows his whistle loudly. 

 

Takuya’s breath steadies, a weight lifted off of his chest at the sound. Taking off like a bullet, he focuses only on his breathing and where his feet touch the ground for a split second.

 

He’s faster than a fire spreading across gasoline.

 

\----

 

“Kanbara kun is good, the second best we have…”

 

Takuya’s drinking from the water bottle he had brought with him, the other potential Track and Field members chatting among themselves. Some occasionally turn around to gawk at him for a second.

 

“Speaking of which...Where is he? He should be here by now?”

 

“Maybe he’s sick? Or his Mother is sick, she is a nurse after all.”

 

“We’ll find out tomorrow. Then.”

 

Something doesn’t seem right about the exchange. He wonders who they’re talking about, but when he thinks too hard, the static is back.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> new character introduced next chapter


	3. Thursday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Alone"  
> From childhood's hour I have not been  
> As others were; I have not seen  
> As others saw; I could not bring  
> My passions from a common spring.
> 
> -Edgar Allen Poe
> 
> Takuya isn't ready.

On day five of the first week a new student joins their class.

 

“Class, a new student has transferred into our class. She had been overseas in America. Please introduce yourself to the class.” Akagi sensei said in a chipper tone, though she didn’t hide the expression of utter disdain on her face. 

Takuya looks up from the sheet of paper he had been doodling on while waiting for class to start. His heart begins to thump loudly, static buzzing in his head.

“ Orimoto Izumi.” The static a crescendo in his head until, as suddenly as it started, it ends. His head feels clearer than it had been since the first day of school. Izumi bows and looks to the teacher. Takuya could tell she didn’t think much of their teacher already. He couldn’t blame her.

“Take the free seat by the window.” Akagi sensei says, grabbing a piece of chalk to start the lesson.

Takuya stares at Izumi’s long, golden hair. Maybe he had trouble looking at people with long hair? That Minamoto had long hair as well…. Takuya quickly shakes the thought, that’d be silly. It made no sense. All of this.

“Well class, this time next week we will be reciting English poems that we all relate to.” Akagi sensei says, hands clasped together. Her blue nails looked like talons. 

He spends the next forty five minutes of class drawing wind chimes. 

\----

Takuya had known he had forgotten something. 

In English they had to pick a poem in English that they relate to somehow and recite it to the class. The teacher would grade them on their rhythm and pronunciation. They’d be reciting only until friday and he mentally curses himself out for not preparing properly for this. Takuya had remembered his dreams and had picked a poem that he thought would work well for him. Now that was fine and all but he hadn’t practiced his pronunciation at all! He hoped the other students would go slow and have long poems.

“First will be Minamoto kun. Please come to the front of the class and share your poem.”

Minamoto stands in front of the class, hands in his pockets. He looks to Akagi sensei before sighing.

“Recovery by Maya Angelou.” he begins.

“ A Last love,” Minamoto looks directly at Takuya, his blue eyes bore into his.   
“proper in conclusion,   
should snip the wings   
forbidding further flight.   
But I, now,   
reft of that confusion,   
am lifted up   
and speeding toward the light.”

The class is silent for a moment. Takuya himself probably couldn’t speak if he wanted to unless he were screaming at the other boy. He hadn’t expected to feel this thrilled to hold Minamoto’s gaze with his own. He feels a fire ignite within him.

“Wonderful. Next?”

 

Akagi sensei calls on him next, he stands up at his seat and fumbles to find the paper he had hastily scrawled out the night prior. Large, purple ink blots fill the white page.

“Ah.. haha I will be doing “My Soul Is Sick With Longing” by Joseph Mary Plunkett.”

“Now recite your poem in  _ English _ , Kanbara kun.” Akagi sensei says, smirk crawling up her fair face.

He clears his throat and tries once more. “ My soul is sick with longing, shaken with loss, Yea, shocked with love lost sudden in a dream, Dream-love dream-taken, swept upon the stream Of dreaming Truth, dreamt true, yet deemed as dross: Dreamt Truth that is to waking Truth a gloss, Dream-love that is to the life of loves that seem To bear the rood of love’s eternal theme, The strength that brings to Calvary their cross.” 

He absolutely butchers the pronunciation of “Calvary”. His teacher seems to take great delight in his failure, eyes lighting up. He can feel Minamoto’s eyes boring holes into the side of his face. He takes a deep breath, lungs hurting with how much air they’re forced to hold.

“I dreamt that love had lit, a burning bird On one green bough of Time, of that dread tree Whereto my soul was crucified: that he Sang with a seraph's voice some wondrous word Blotting out pain, but swift the branch I heard Break, withered, and the song ceased suddenly.” he bows quickly and takes his seat once more. His cheeks feel hot so he rests his face against his cool desk.

Several other of his classmates go but he could care less.

“Oritomo san would you like to share a poem with the class?” by Akagi sensei’s tone she wasn’t asking. Already he had seen that Izumi didn’t like to speak in class.

“Yes.” She makes her way to the front of the classroom in a manner that reminds him of a leaf blowing in the wind. Though her steps are sure, and her stance confident, he feels as if she will float up and hit the ceiling if he averts his gaze from her form.

“Begin.”

 

**“From childhood's hour I have not been** **  
****As others were; I have not seen** **  
****As others saw; I could not bring** **  
****My passions from a common spring.** **  
****From the same source I have not taken** **  
****My sorrow; I could not awaken** **  
****My heart to joy at the same tone;** **  
****And all I loved, I loved alone.** **  
****Then- in my childhood, in the dawn** **  
****Of a most stormy life- was drawn** **  
****From every depth of good and ill** **  
****The mystery which binds me still:** **  
****From the torrent, or the fountain,** **  
****From the red cliff of the mountain,** **  
****From the sun that round me rolled** **  
****In its autumn tint of gold,** **  
****From the lightning in the sky** **  
****As it passed me flying by,** **  
****From the thunder and the storm,** **  
****And the cloud that took the form** **  
****(When the rest of Heaven was blue)** **  
** **Of a demon in my view.**  Alone by Edgar Allan Poe.” Takuya was left stunned. That was the most he’d ever heard her speak, she didn’t skip or stumble like most of the other kids. But that’s to be expected, right? She was in America for some time. She’d have to pick up some English eventually. 

Izumi flips her golden hair over her shoulder.

Akagi sensei glares at the retreating back of Izumi. The bell rings and the students file out to get their lunches.

 

\----   
  


After school Takuya heads to Track and Field practice. He begins his stretches, ten toe touches and a few other ballistic stretches. He feels his muscles complain, but he’s as relaxed as always. His shoes are just the perfect size that he can run in. He finds himself glad that he isn’t in the middle of another growth spurt. 

He’s about ready to start on with a four lap run when one of the seniors calls him out.

“Kanbara kun we need your help!” 

Takuya jogs over to the pair, tilting his head to the side a little. He’d been in the club for almost two weeks now and they had rarely spoken to him. 

“We need you to get our best player for us. He’s going to either be in the nurse’s office or the library. He’s been skipping practice, but he’s too good to kick off.” His senior looks only partially embarrassed to ask him a favor. Takuya glances back to the track forlornly. 

“Yeah, I’ll start in the nurse’s office.”

“We owe you one Kanbara kun!” he doesn’t spare them so much as a nod as he runs away. He feels anticipation well up from somewhere deep inside him. He lets the feeling carry him to his destination. 

This all feels familiar. He thinks something very wrong or very right is going to happen

\----

The hallways are mostly empty, when Takuya makes it inside. He slows down to a leisurely walk, not wanting to get a scolding from a teacher. As he gets further down the halls and closer to the nurse’s room, the air begins to get thick. It smelled with like down by the sea at night. Salty and thick with unease. Eventually the offensive smell passes as he gets further away from Akagi sensei’s classroom.

It gets progressively darker as he ambles on. He isn’t scared but the hair on the back of his neck is on end and there’s a tugging at his heart. Before he knows it, his hand’s on the door.

The lights are out, but he knows that someone’s there. He stands in the darkness, breath coming out heavy. Like he had just run 5k. He finds the door is closed when he turns to check. He doesn’t remember closing. He doesn’t remember checking it, but he doesn’t question it.

His nose is greeted by a familiar scent, he isn’t sure how he knows it though.

“I’m from the Track and Field club, I’m here to pick you up.” He hears a short giggle further back in the room. His heart hurts, almost as though it’s being squeezed by a giant. He knows that laugh.

He takes another step into the room before thinking better of it. He reaches out, fumbling for the light switch. Even with the sudden light the room is cast in unreal shadows. The figure before him stands, back to him. Whoever it is, is holding ice to their long, long leg.

“Takuya.” The voice says, it’s light but there’s a strength to it Takuya isn’t sure he’s heard out of dreams. 

“Mina- no…” he catches himself, he’s known that wasn’t his classmate as soon as he’d stepped in the room, but he couldn’t think of what else to say for a beat. “Who are you? ...You’re hurt?”

His fellow team member got up from their crouch, turning around to face him. It’s funny but...they seem to move in snapshots. Movements erratic but with a calmness and sureness behind them. Like a video game glitch! Now that he can clearly see what it is they’re holding he realizes it’s an ice pack. The first thing he notices is that he has to look up to meet their eyes. The second is that he’s wearing a boy’s uniform. He can’t see the boy’s face, it’s shadowed too much. The most he can make out is the smile the other has after seeing him.

“Takuya.” Takuya feels his knees buckle when he says his name. He sinks down onto his knees hard, but he can’t feel them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Izumi is on the Aroace spectrum. Poem credits to:  
> Maya Angelou and Edgar Allan Poe
> 
> Ages/Grades:
> 
> Takuya: Class 3b (junior high school).14 turning 15 in August (15th)  
> Kouji: Class 3b (junior high school). 14 turning 15 in December (25th. Born at seven am)  
> I constantly edit this fic because yikes.  
> Kouichi: Class 3c (junior high school). 14 turning 15 in December (24th. Born at eleven pm)  
> Izumi: Class 3b (junior high school). 14 turning 15 in May (1st).  
> Shinya: Class 5a (primary school). 10 turning 11 in June (4th).  
> Tomoki: Class 6a (primary school). 11 turning 12 in February (19th).  
> Junpei: Class 1c (high school). 15 turning 16 in June (19th).


	4. Cannibalistic Akagi Sensei

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He said he said  
> d-o-n-t l-e-t i-t  
> d-i-e

The boy is at his side, Takuya’s hand cradled in the other boy’s and a calming hand on his back. He’s left breathless at the contact, sure he had friends and he was in contact sports but this was like nothing he’d felt before. He looks up into the other’s face and notices a cluster of twelve freckles splattered along his nose and cheeks.

“Takuya,” there’s that voice again.

“Takuya are you okay?”

“I’m fine..just a little light headed.” Takuya’s surprised how natural the lie sounds. The boy stands up and offers him a hand. Takuya accepts it and uses it to help himself stand. The boy looks relieved. When Takuya’s to his feet he can’t help but wonder why the boy hasn’t let go of his hand yet.

The two engage in a staring contest, the boy taking note of every individual aspect of Takuya’s face. Takuya’s face get’s increasingly pink at the familiar attention.

“Um...I’m here to take you….” he swallows. “back to track that is.”

“Lead the way, Takuya.”

Takuya does so, in a daze, everything was happening at an alarming rate. Maybe he’d been transported to the Twilight Zone or some strange romantic drama? Both? Maybe something like “The World is Ending but Hold Me in Your Arms”.

Once outside he closes the door behind him. They walk together through the hallways for a minute. It’s very quiet, classroom duty is finished in all the classrooms and the only people that remain are a few teachers finishing up grades and students in clubs.

“They didn’t tell me your name, what’s your name?” Takuya tries to start a casual conversation.

As they turn a corner they are intercepted by Takuya’s classmate Izumi.

“Kouichi chan! There you are I was looking all over for you. You left at lunch so suddenl- oh. Hi Kanbara.” She takes her attention from.. Kouichi (?) long enough to acknowledge Takuya. Takuya nods.

“I had to get something ready for tomorrow. It’s in my locker right now but I can tell you about it later.” Kouichi replies smoothly.

 

“Are we still on for tonight’s sleepover? I have the stuff?”

Takuya’s eyes bug out. Izumi from class, the same Izumi that only spoke when necessary and never participated in class unless asked, was talking about… Surely she couldn’t be. Didn’t she have any shame? _“A midnight rendezvous?!”_ he screams in his head.

“Of course Izumi chan, I’ve been looking forward to it for the past few days.”

“You’re silly. My parents love you, they wouldn’t mind you coming home every night.”

 _“Her parents approved? An engagement?”_ he feels like his mother and aunt watching romantic dramas.

“Heh..I had to make tupperware dinners for my mother. She’s very busy, if I didn’t make her food to heat up as soon as she gets home she’d starve.”

“You’re such a responsible kid, my mom couldn’t get me to make dinner even if she paid me money.” Izumi laughs, stepping closer and looping arms with Kouichi. Kouichi smiles at her. His smile too charming for the good of Takuya’s pulse.

“Ah..I have track tonight, it should only take me ten minutes to do what I need to do,” he pauses looking over at Takuya to grin. “You don’t mind if she walks with us do you? I can’t exactly turn a cold shoulder on my best friend.”

Takuya probably could’ve caught flies at this point but he finds it in him to nod.

“You _know_ Izumi chan, right?” the way he asks the question causes Takuya to shiver. The way he stressed the word “know” made his head hurt like a baseball taking a beating from professional players.

“She’s in my class. We don’t talk much.” Izumi nods in confirmation.

“We’ve never talked before actually. It’s good to _meet_ you.” Takuya is thoroughly unnerved. This all feels familiar but foreign at the same time.

The trio make their way outside to the track field. There they are greeted by the entire club.

Jeers of “You finally made it!” “slacker!” and “too busy making out with your girlfriend in the nurse’s office? Sorry you had to see that Takuya kyun!” Kouichi ignores them. Izumi waits leaning against the chain mail fence.

“Hey **bastard** ?” [ _1_ ]  she says darkly, looking up at the unfortunate guy that implied her and Kouichi had been off doing something inappropriate. The team member looks shocked that a girl would address him in such a way.

“What do you want?” he tries to maintain eye contact but she’s too intimidating for him.

“I bet you Kouichi will finish the eight laps at least 7 minutes before you do.”

“Ha! That slacker beat me? You’re on. If I win…” he trails on, face quickly resembling an especially ripe tomato.  

“Get on with it.”

“You have to give me a kiss.”

Izumi laughs loudly at him for a full minute, wiping tears from her eyes.

“When Kouichi wins you have to kiss our feet and give me your nice jacket.” the boy’s eyes furrow deeply in indignation.

“Izumi chan that’s not necess-” Kouichi protests.

“I can’t have anyone disrespecting you in front of me.” Izumi says simply, her skirt flaps in time with the win. She is the wind?

“Better get your lips ready for me!”

After he says this the entire club lines up at the starting line. The club is small this year with only twelve members. The teacher in charge blows a whistle and the runners are off. Takuya and Kouichi take the lead, the others far behind them.

It’s taking all he has and more to try and match Kouichi’s pace. It’s after five laps of this that Takuya realizes that Kouichi has a _lot_ of stamina. Some kids have dropped out, lying along the sides of the track. They had been too intent on keeping pace with Kouichi and him.

 _“Burn outs.”_ Takuya thinks with a snicker. As they round their sixth lap, Takuya glances over to see Kouichi looking at him. He’s taken aback when Kouichi winks at him before speeding off and leaving Takuya in his dust.

He finishes the two miles in 7 minutes while it takes Takuya 8 minutes and 30 seconds. The guy from before , Akio (?), is crying. He hadn’t been able to finish finish his eight laps. It had taken him 12 minutes to finish 6 laps and he had given up, humiliated.

He forks over his jacket and Izumi throws it over her shoulders like a cape. Kouichi stands over by her side. When Takuya really looks he sees that Izumi is only about 1.27 cm shorter than Kouichi (though she looked as if she was still growing, not weighed down by anything). She’s got 5.08 cm on both Akio and him.

“Get on with it.” she says, arms crossing.

Akio drops to his knees on the ground, face beet red. He couldn't believe that he had lost to the club’s best known slacker. He kisses Izumi’s worn out sneakers. When he moves over to Kouichi all he gets in reply is a “no thanks”. It was one thing to have to go through with a loss after a bet, it was another to have someone not respect you enough to let you carry through with it.

Kouichi and Izumi casually walk away, chatting about their day. Takuya swears he hears “Akagi” in there somewhere.

He's frozen stock still as he stares at the pair’s retreating backs, face flushed a light pink. Kouichi… Kouichi was...

“ _So cool._ ” He’s snapped out of his thoughts when they begin to leave his line of sight. A panic fills him, he had to do something! The first month of school wasn't even over yet but he felt as though he was running on borrowed time. He does the only thing he's truly good at. He runs forward without thinking too much. He’s able to easily catch up to Izumi and Kouichi. He sees Izumi throw the boy’s jacket in a nearby trash can.

“Kouichi!” His voice cracks.

The boy in front of him freezes, a shudder running down his spine. Takuya reaches out and grasps his shoulder. Kouichi is bony and narrow. Takuya had almost expected his hand to phase straight through Kouichi. Instead he feels like he's hit an electric fence.

Izumi looks between the two, deciding to walk on ahead to give them privacy. When Takuya spins Kouichi around, Kouichi’s face is red and he’s sweating like he's being boiled alive. He’s biting his lip. The action seems bizarrely familiar.

Takuya speaks before he can lose his nerve. “This may seem weird but… I feel like I've met you before? I want to get to know you better! When can I see you again?” Takuya’s own cheeks are a dark red by this point.

 _“This sounds like a confession?!”_ The sun was beginning to paint the area in reds and purples. Takuya swears that Kouichi is shadowed though there's nothing that could be causing a shadow.

“Maybe in another life?” Kouichi jokes. That seems right.

Kouichi takes one of Takuya’s hands in both of his. There's a small smile on his face as he says to Takuya “Any time you would like. I'll have Izumi chan give you my number if you would like?” Though there's a smile on his face, his eyes are sad. Takuya looks down to their joined hands. Olive gloves against the smooth expanse of a sun shy hand.

“I look forward to it, Kouichi.”

Kouichi walks off, offering a small wave to Takuya. He sees Izumi elbow Kouichi in the side and waggle her eyebrows. The blonde wraps her long arms around her friend. Tucking her head over his shoulder. Takuya isn’t sure what the dark look she sends his way means. Maybe he imagined it? But why would he imagine Izumi looking so pissed at him? He was drowning, breathless, in her jealous green eyes.

“Ti vogilo bene.”[ _2_ ] he hears.

When he gets home that night he has trouble falling asleep, Kouichi’s blushing face burned into the insides of his eyelids.

\----------

Having not fallen asleep until very late, Takuya sleeps through his alarm. He speeds through his morning routine. His mother had already left to take Shinya for a check up.

He slides into his desk just as the final bell rings.

Izumi looks out the window as Akagi sensei berates her on her uniform.

“Orimoto san your shirt needs to be tucked into your skirt properly! And is the hem of your skirt rolled up?”

The class laughs openly at her, all their voices meshing into a singular grating note.

“Stand up young lady.”

Sure Akagi sensei had called Izumi out many times in class, taking perverse pleasure in lowering Izumi’s social standing as much as possible...But was this appropriate?

“Izumi doesn’t roll up her skirt, spend less time focusing on your student’s bodies!” Takuya slams his fist against his desk. Suddenly all eyes are on him. Akagi sensei looks absolutely scandalized.

“How disrespectful! Do you have anything to add on Orimoto san?”

Izumi finally looks away from the window, locking eyes with Takuya.

“I have nothing to add to what you said, Takuya. I don’t see the need to grace a _hag_ whose only pleasure in life is trying to make girls feel worthless about themselves.”

Akagi’s face flushes with rage as she orders the two “unruly” students to leave her class. They wait out in the hall, Takuya slumped down on the ground and Izumi standing up straight at his side.

“Why is she always bothering you?”

“I didn’t need you to get involved, Takuya...she hates me.”

“Huh?” Takuya looks up to the girl, he can’t see her face right now but he can see the tight ball of her fist.

“She’s _always_ hated me.” the way she says always has Takuya thinking that maybe she wasn’t talking about just these past two weeks. She speaks plainly, as if this was a fact Takuya himself should be well aware of.

Izumi begins to walk away from him. She apparently had better things to do than to stand outside a teacher who hated her’s class room.

“Where are you going?”

“The nurse's office. I need to talk to Kouichi chan.”

“Oh is he-” the way Izumi’s shoulders tense up causes him to pause. Maybe Kouichi wasn’t…

“Is Kouichi there often?”

“Kouichi chan frequently gets migraines.”

“O-oh. That explains why Kouichi isn’t in practice often.”

“Why does Kouichi get migraines?”

“I’m not a doctor. Kouichi chan was in physical therapy for awhile.”

“Really? How long have you known Kouichi.”

Izumi doesn’t answer him.

“Well...could you tell Kouichi that we need to talk. Soon. Preferably today after school even?”

Izumi still hasn’t turned around through out this exchange. It’s slightly unnerving.

“We’ll see. Wait for Kouichi chan by the school garden.”

Izumi leaves before Takuya can protest. She never comes back.

When Takuya is allowed in during lunch there’s a lunch box waiting on his desk for him. He had missed it earlier when he came in _nearly_ late. He sits down at his desk and begins to eat. Most students preferred to eat outside, when the weather permitted it, himself included. He sees Akagi sensei’s usual crowd of boys in the front row blushing as they stare at her.

The first three buttons of her shirt are unbuttoned and her makeup is immaculate. Takuya is repulsed by the fact that a teacher would present in such a way. None of the boys seem appalled as she takes near cannibalistic pleasure in eating her seafood lunch. Takuya swears he sees sharp teeth slice into the octopus.

\----------

All the students have left by now. The sun is beginning to set and Takuya seriously contemplates the possibility that Izumi had been pulling his leg. No one was here other than himself and maybe one teacher. He was sure he had seen all the teachers leave earlier though. All the clubs had disbanded hours ago. He crouches to observe the school’s roses more closely. No one had even seen him enter the garden.

There’s a dark red rose in particular that catches his attention. It nearly looked black. The soil around it was very dry but the flower looked vibrant. Rather than hearing movement he feels it. He looks over his shoulder, heart thumping, only to see Kouichi. Kouichi appeared to be dragging a wet baseball bat.

Unthinkingly he plucks the rose from the ground. It’s thorns can’t get past his gloves to prick him.

He speed walks over to Kouichi and shouts the other’s name.

“Kouichi!”

Kouichi looks up in alarm, blue eyes widening. Like Kouichi wasn’t expecting him. Kouichi stands still until Takuya can catch up. Up close Takuya can see that Kouichi’s hair is wet and beads of water gather along her throat.

“Takuya...what are you doing here so late for?”

Takuya looks of to the side for a second, biting his cheek.

“Well I wanted to see you.”

“Oh. Um, give me a minute. I’ll meet you out front?”

Takuya nods and turns around. The weight of Kouichi’s gaze makes the hair on his nape stand on end. Kouichi meets him at the front gates fifteen minutes later without the bat from before. They climb the chain mail together and stand outside the gates.

“Did you need something?” Kouichi asks. Takuya can see her face is ashen. He feels like he had interrupted something or he had seen something he wasn’t supposed to.

“I was wondering if I could walk you home?” Kouichi seems to consider his proposal.

“Okay.”

They walk together in silence, Takuya gripping the rose he had stolen and his backpack. He notices that Kouichi doesn’t carry a bag. Kouichi’s uniform looks hastily put on. The sun is setting behind the pair. Takuya tries to engage in a conversation.

“Is Izumi okay? She said she was going to see you.”

“Izumi chan went home early. She said Akagi was really being cruel today…” Kouichi trails off, looking at Takuya.

“She said you stood up for her today.”

“I didn’t think it was right for a teacher to talk like that.”

“She also said that she didn’t need your help.”

Takuya blushes, crossing his arms over his chest. Kouichi laughs and Takuya can’t help pout harder.

“Izumi chan is very independent, I think you wounded her pride a little today. Don’t take it personally.”

“I won’t.” he promises and together they lapse into another silence. This time it’s more comfortable. When Takuya looks over Kouichi’s eyebrows aren’t knitted so closely together and there’s a small smile on her face. Takuya isn’t sure why he thought that she was a boy at first. Izumi had to nearly out right tell him that Kouichi wasn’t.

After boarding a train it only takes an additional fifteen minutes to reach Kouichi’s home. It’s a small apartment complex with what Takuya guesses two rooms in each apartment.[ _3_ ] Kouichi takes her keys out of her pants pockets and unlocks the door. She stands in front of the door for a minute seemingly contemplating a tough decision.

“Would you like to come in?”

Takuya nods, “Do you have a phone I could call my Mom with?”

“Yes.”

When Kouichi opens the door the first thing Takuya notices is that no one is inside. He’s a little nervous to be honest. He was never one to be alone with girls. Something about Kouichi... A soccer ball is pushed into a corner and the apartment is nearly spotless. The walls are gray and a small kitchenette connects to the living room. There isn’t a t.v. A bookshelf filled with old nursing books is pushed up against the wall.

Kouichi points to a chord phone and heads into the kitchenette to prepare dinner. Takuya calls his mother and Shinya picks up. Their mother was working overtime tonight so he’d tell her once she got home.

Takuya has Shinya write Kouichi’s address down.

“Would you like to stay for dinner?”

“Uh,” Takuya’s stomach rumbles before he can finish speaking.

“I don’t want to intrude really and...where are your parents? Would they mind?”

“My mother is a nurse, she doesn’t get back until after midnight.”

“Oh, so you’re alone most nights.” He wanted to smack himself in the face for that one.

Kouichi begins washing a few vegetables. “Not necessarily. I do go over to Izumi chan’s at least five days out of the week.”

“That’s cool. I’ve never really been to many sleep overs. You don’t mind if I stay?”

“Not at all. I hope you don’t mind eating on the floor?”

Kouichi takes out a knife and begins to chop up vegetables. Takuya assumes she’s making some type of stew for dinner. He flinches at the sound of the first slice.

Takuya isn’t sure exactly what to say and the lack of conversation is really making him nervous.

“So… haha you like soccer?”

“I used to want to play it with my friends.”

“Used to?” Takuya tilts his head to the side confused.

“I had an accident when I was younger. I was in physical therapy for awhile before moving. Did Izumi chan tell you?”

“Oh…” Takuya feels like he isn’t saying much other than ‘oh’. He feels slightly sick with himself.

“Do you avoid stairs now?” Kouichi stills. Takuya isn’t sure where that came from. But he had the most vivid image of Kouichi tripping down a flight of stairs. If Takuya were to look hard enough at Kouichi’s reflection in the knife she was holding then he’d see Kouichi’s face contorted into disbelieving horror.

Takuya mentally beats himself over the head with an old baseball bat. They don’t talk until dinner’s done. He had been wrong. It was Miso soup.

“I don’t know where that came from, I’m sorry Kouichi.” Takuya says, looking into his soup.

He looks up to see Kouichi tuck a free clump of hair behind her ear. She looked slightly uncomfortable.

“I wasn’t upset with you. I did fall down a flight of stairs though. I just...sort of remembered it.” she laughs bitterly. Takuya feels like he’s being lied to or at least not being told the entire truth. Kouichi was very mysterious. It felt like he already knew her but she had changed.

They eat and talk about school, soccer, and a few other things and before Takuya knows it, two hours have passed. It’s now very dark outside and the lighting inside isn’t very good. Kouichi seems to be made entirely of shadows.

Takuya hears a honk outside and spots his mother’s car. He’s torn between wanting to stay and the need to leave. He takes the flower he had picked earlier and leans in close to tuck it behind Kouichi’s ear. It pricks her ear and a small bit of blood trails down her ear. She looks surprised. Up close the smell from the nurse's office greets him again. He realizes that it’s Kouichi. It smells like flowers just before they die.

“Pretty girls get roses right? I just wanted to say thanks…” Kouichi’s face is scarlet, blue eyes wide. Takuya gathers his bag and leaves with the parting words, “Don’t let it die.”[ _4_ ] 

If Takuya had stayed longer or perhaps simply looked back he would have seen Kouichi, fat tears streaming down her flushed cheeks.

School is cancelled the next day. Akagi sensei was found bludgeoned to death so badly she was nearly unidentifiable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was painful


	5. I love you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three times "I love you" was said (and once it wasn't).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> graphic depictions of violence ( murder ).

Takuya’s mother gets a phone call that day asking where Takuya had been after school that day. She tells the school that her son had walked a friend home, had walked Koichi Kimura home. The lights are off and the curtains are drawn tight. Takuya’s mother opens the door without a second thought, needing to tell him the news. Her son lay on his back, counting his breaths like monarch butterflies.

“Your teacher was found murdered today, Takuya…”

“Mmmm.” His eyes are steadily fixed to the ceiling.

She tries again, eyes narrowing. Her words are crisp.

“They believe a student with a baseball bat did it, they were unable to find a baseball bat near the school grounds.” her son stills completely, no longer breathing. She waits through a minute of this. Her son finally inhales sharply. She can see his eyes are still glazed over in contemplation.

“That’s horrible…”

“Do you know anything?” she grips the door handle tight, breath baited. She doesn’t want her son to know of such things or even worse, be involved. Takuya turns over onto his side, facing away from her. The way his shoulders shake breaks her heart. She closes the door behind her and leans up against the wall outside. Face pressed into her hands. She wondered who would kill a teacher?

She leaves the hallway to get ready for work. Her boss had offered over time and she wasn’t going to say no to that. Her husband was returning from business and she should be just in time coming home to see him walk through the door.

“Maybe…” Takuya says to himself in the empty room. He stares at the sun through his blinds.

A few hours later his father comes home exhausted and happy to see Shinya. Takuya knows he’s come home because he can hear the thunderous pitter patter of Shinya’s feet. Their father picks Shinya up happily, even though his back cracks and protests.

“Shinya!”

“Dad! Dad! Wanna play video games?” Shinya is positively bouncing along the walls. Their father sets a hand atop brown hair. Father and son relax on the couch. Shinya blabs and blabs and blabs. Takuya doesn’t hear a word of it through the thin walls.

“Big brother and I didn’t have school today.” Takuya hears Shinya say after his father speaks. Their father takes a few moments of confused silence to respond.

“How come?”

“His teacher got murdered.”

“Oh? How’d the teacher die?”

“Mom wouldn’t say but she thinks big brother knows something about it.” Another moment of stunned silence.

“She thinks...he...does? I wonder if she’s right?” the tone of his voice leaves no room for this topic to be discussed further. Takuya closes his eyes and sleeps.

\--------

“Koichi, Koichi I’m home!” Ms. Kimura yells from the doorway, slipping off her shoes. Today was absolutely grueling. She had been worried about her son all day at work. She hadn’t known what time he had come home or how he had taken the news. [ _5_ ] 

“Welcome home!” Koichi calls from the kitchenette. She can see that he’s picked up around the house. There still seems to be spiders spinning their webs in the darkest corners. She wiggles her toes against the clean carpet. Her feet ache and she can’t wait to sit down and relax. Whatever Koichi made her smells absolutely divine.

She pads over to her son and presses a kiss to his cheek.

“Did you finish all of your homework?” her hand lingers on his shoulder briefly.

“Yes, how was work?”

“Tiring. I’m glad I could help so many people but the shift hours kill me. It’s tough working two jobs a week.” she leans over towards the stove to see what he had made. Miso once again. _“We must be running low on groceries.”_ she thinks. He doesn’t respond but that’s okay. He doesn’t respond that often.

They sit down together on the floor like a family. She finishes her meal quickly, asking for seconds. Koichi obliges her and sits across from her, hands folded in his lap. He doesn’t eat and once she’s finished he takes her dishes and washes them. He adjusts his tie and walks to the door.

Koichi’s mother intercepts him half way. Wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder.

“You know what happened to Akagi sensei?”

“It was horrible.” he says. His arms loosely encircle her. She hates that she can’t guess what he’s thinking. It had been so much easier when her mother was still around to help her raise her son. She releases him and looks up into his eyes.

“Be safe, Koichi.”

“Mmm.” he says, slipping on his shoes. He’s gone in the next instant and her heart feels like it’s being squeezed by a vice. Did he know? The action of the door clicking shut is delayed. She stands by the door for a long time. Looking at the door as if by will alone she can urge her son to come back. But she was stubborn just like his father was.

“I love you.” she says to the door as if the door would somehow deliver her message. She retires to bed.

\------------------

Koichi and Izumi sprawl out on Izumi’s queen size mattress, finger tips stretched to touch each other. Izumi’s bed sheets are a dark pink color. Her window is opened enough to allow a gentle breeze to enter the room. A bird wind chime is hung up near her window.

“I’m sorry you had to do that.” Izumi says, her long blond hair fans out under her. Her head moves to the side so she can face her best friend.

_Koichi had taken the bat out of her locker and hid inside the boy’s bathroom until most of the students and teachers had left. Only a few students in clubs and Akagi remained. She was wearing a spare uniform. The material is scratchy against her skin. How many times? Too many. Far too many._

_She creeps along the halls, bat behind her back. It was an old aluminum bat she had found laying around in the gym storage room. She enters Akagi’s room without knocking. The teacher is at her desk, filing her nails in between grading papers. She sees a large red zero on Izumi’s papers._

_“Akagi...sensei.” she says, tone chipper and smile polite.  Akagi looks up, surprised before she shoots Koichi a glare._

_“Yes? You are?”_

_Koichi meets her gaze challengingly._

_“Don’t you recognize me? Must you drag it out, Ranamon? I’m Löwemon.” Ranamon’s eyes narrow and she hisses at her._

_“You think you can just call my name like that and expect me to feel threatened?”_

_Koichi ignores her words. How many times? Too many._

_“Repent or I will purify you.”_

_Ranamon stands from her desk and steps closer to her. Each click of her heel against the floor like the tick of a timer._

_“You can’t stop Cherubimon sama.”_

_“Is that your final answer?” Ranamon seethes, punching Koichi in the gut. Koichi gives no verbal response to the hit, gritting her teeth._

_“You don’t even have your spirits! Cherubimon sama was able to take all of you pathetic children’s spirits. You all thought you saved the world? So gullible. What do you think you can do being as weak as you are? You’re as pathetic as Shutumon.” she cackles, mouth opening wide to reveal sharp sharp teeth. The room grows darker and darker very almost at an imperceptible rate._

_“What are you fighting so hard for? You were one of us.”_

_Koichi straightens up and backs up just slightly. She moves the bat from behind her and bends her elbows, striking forward. Ranamon watches, horrified at the speed Koichi moves. One second the bat was behind her and then the next it was connecting with Ranamon’s jaw._

_Ranamon falls back, heels tangling up with a few desk legs. Black spots dance along her vision and she can tell her jaw is dislocated. She glares, eyes full of hate, up at Koichi. Koichi looks down at her, bat still raised._

_“Repent?” she offers once again._

_Ranamon forces her mouth to work with her as she stands. She spits at Koichi before lunging at the girl. She gets in another punch before she’s struck by the bat again. This time when she falls Koichi doesn’t let up. Blood splatters against her cheek and in her hair. Ranamon tries to grab the bat or kick at Koichi but nothing she does seems to stop the girl._

_She strikes down and down and down and down and down. She continues to hit Ranamon with the bat in her hands. There’s nothing but red. She grits her teeth harder with every sickening crunch. Ranamon continues to twitch and kick for an alarming period of time, refusing to die. There was no light in the room._

_After ten more hits Koichi speaks._

_“Corrupted, evil heart...Sleep in the darkness you were born in. This bat will purify you!” Koichi’s impassioned voice rings in the empty classroom. A purple light envelops the room, not piercing the darkness, seeming to be an extension of it. Koichi finally ends it all with one final hit._

_In the darkness of the classroom Koichi takes a moment to catch her breath. Blood pools all over the floor. She can even feel blood caked all over her exposed skin and hair. She can’t see the exact details of Ranamon’s crushed skull, she doesn’t want to. She stands panting over the monster that wore human skin in this world. There’s so much blood._

_How many times? Too many._

“I had to.” she says, remembering the times in which she hadn’t known better. Remembers Izumi’s body, bird like bones crushed and twisted. Nearly drowning.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Izumi whispers, eyes misty. She sits up on her knees to look down at Koichi. Koichi rises with her. The two girls tightly embrace each other.

“You said you wanted to try on my uniform, right? Let’s trade.” Izumi speaks up, pulling away from Koichi enough to look her in the eyes.

“Mhhm.”

They separate and begin to undress. Izumi pulls her uniform out of the closet, handing it to Koichi. Izumi lends her a pair of underwear so her skirt doesn’t bunch up uncomfortably. Koichi does a short spin in front of the mirror in Izumi’s room. She didn’t like the colors of their uniforms but the outfit itself is very pretty.

Izumi steps forward to stand behind her friend. Arms circling around her waist and chin hooking over her shoulder. She hums quietly, pressing herself closer. The soft sound of the windchimes ceases, the air is still.

“Koichi chan do they have school dances in Japan?”

“Mmm. I don’t know I haven’t ever been to one if there are.”

“Dance with me,” she says, voice soft. “Every girl deserves to be asked for a dance at least once.”

Koichi blushes and nods. “Where do I put my hands, Izumi chan?”

“Around my neck, I’ll put mine around your waist, okay?” Koichi nods and does as she says. She’s a little worried she’ll step on Izumi’s feet. She glances down at Izumi’s feet clad in fuzzy pink socks and her own in Izumi’s long white socks.

“Look at me.”

“Izumi chan do you miss me when you don’t meet me?”

“I always miss you. You’re my best friend.” Koichi smiles softly, nuzzling her cheek against Izumi’s.

“I miss you too.”

“Significhi tutto per me.”[ _6_ ]  Izumi whispers, tears fast coming.

“I really wish you didn’t have to do this. Any of this. I wish I could take your place.”

“I don’t.” Koichi’s voice is fierce. She pulls Izumi closer.

“Us girls really need to stick out for each other, huh. Haha.” Izumi wants to cry but there’s no use. There wasn’t anything she could do right now.

“I love you.” Izumi says, voice cracking slightly.

“I love you too.”

They continue to sway around Izumi’s small bedroom until Izumi’s parents call them down for dinner.

\----------

_Takuya walks across the school, following to where the red string tied to his finger leads. He finds Koichi sprawled out in the garden. She’s wearing the school’s green uniform. Her green skirt looks like grass on the soil of the garden. Her skin glows purple. Her eyes are closed and her face is contorted in anguish._

_The red rose he had given her is cradled against her chest. It’s losing petals and shriveling up. He stands over her, blocking the sun from hitting her face. A red string connects them by their pinkies. Takuya hears a clock ticking._

_“Kouichi let’s play soccer.” he says._

_Her eyes snap open and she stares up at him. Blue eyes wide. He can’t look away from the twelve freckles across the bridge of her nose._

_“You didn’t used to have freckles.” he can see another red string coming from Kouichi’s other pinky. He isn’t sure where it leads. He doesn’t care. He was always the type to take and ask questions later._

_“Takuya...”_

_“You’re letting it die, Kouichi.”_

_Kouichi looks down in alarm at the flower against her breast. It sheds another petal before her disbelieving eyes. A sob catches in her throat._

_“You weren’t supposed to let it die.”  Takuya gently takes her hand, flower between their two palms._

_“W-wait! Don’t!” the thorns push into her palm leaving tiny cuts. The flower wilts even more._

_“Let’s play soccer together. Izumi and Kouji and Junpei and Tomoki can come.” he doesn’t know half the names he lists._

_A black butterfly flutters through the air and lands where their hands meet. The flower dies completely._

_Kouichi screams and screams and screams._

_\------------------------------_

Takuya wakes up in a cold sweat. Mouth opened in preparation to scream. His father sits at the edge of his bed, head in his hands. He looks up at the sudden movement.

“D-Dad?”

“I came in to say good night.”

Takuya frowns, hand clenched over his heart. He pushes his brown bangs back with his free hand. His father stands and takes the few steps to lean over Takuya, wrapping him in an embrace that smells like overwork and coffee.

“I love you s-son.” he says fumbling over his words. No less genuine than when he had said those words to Shinya earlier.

His father had finally decided to come back. No more business trips and infrequent phone calls that only lasted ten minutes. He wraps his arms tightly around his father and sobs like the kid he still is. Teary face pressed into his father’s work shirt.

He cries for the joy he feels to have his father back. He cries, confused over what his dream had meant- what any of them had meant.

He cries because he knew what Kouichi had done.

\--------

Kouichi and Izumi lay huddled together under Izumi’s covers. Whispering secrets to each other. The room is dark and the gentle sound of the windchimes lulls the pair closer and closer to sleep.

They had found each other's hand under the sheets earlier and had yet to let go. Izumi stares at Kouichi’s face.

“Twelve.”

“Mmmm.”

“Kouichi chan tell me about the first person you ever liked.”

“I don’t know if I’ve ever liked anyone?”

“You like Takuya. He counts.” Kouichi’s face heats up.

“I guess I liked him the first time after the Digital World. Just a little.”

“When you say you like someone a little you really mean a lot, huh?”

“Tell me about the first person you ever liked, Izumi chan.”

Izumi averts her eyes to where their hands are clasped together under the covers. She purses her lip in thought.

“I’ve never liked anyone.”

“Oh...well I got my first flower last night.”

Izumi’s eyes don’t move. She inhales and exhales softly. The space between them is warm. In this room it’s easy to believe nothing will change.

“From Takuya?” she knows so without even asking.

“He said “pretty girls get roses right?” I was so surprised.”

Izumi’s heart clenches in fear. Had she accidentally somehow managed to out her best friend? She needed to be much more careful.

“He’s right. When this is over I’ll give you a dozen red roses.” Kouichi laughs, blushing.

“You don’t have to…” Kouichi trails off. Hesitant to speak any longer

“What’s wrong?”

“He told me not to let it die.”

Izumi raises her head to bump foreheads with Kouichi.

“You won’t let it die, Kouichi chan.” she assures her best friend with utmost confidence. She had faith in two things. Herself and her best friend.

She couldn't believe she was ever afraid of the dark.

Kouichi eventually falls asleep and Izumi is left to stare at her best friend’s sleeping face.


	6. Endo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A friendly sleepover and a not so friendly new teacher.

Two weeks into school and it felt like already everything had gone to shit. Their teacher had been brutally murdered and he knew (or at the very least held strong suspicion) who had done her in. Sure Akagi sensei had bothered him on a base level, sending shivers down his spine with every movement she made, as if she were going to physically lash out at him. She was absolutely nasty to Izumi too. But he felt sick just imagining the scene of the crime.

He wonders why she did it.

More importantly it was strange to see his father at the breakfast table chatting with his still drowsy mother. Shinya sat in the livingroom watching the news to see if they had school today or not. They did. It was Monday of a new week, two days was deemed long enough. Takuya isn’t sure who approved of that.

“Takuya have a good day at school. Shinya hurry off so you aren’t late.” his mother says over her cup of coffee. His mother drank her coffee black and he couldn’t help but gag at the smell of it as he ducked in to press a cheek against her pleasantly round cheek.

“Have a good day at school today...boys.” their father says, cheeks slightly pink.

“Mmmm! See you when school’s over, Dad!”

“See ya, Dad!” Takuya says slipping his shoes on by the door. Shinya takes a moment to hug both his parents quickly before following his older brother.

Takuya of course issues another race. As he runs it’s easy to forget the thoughts previously plaguing his mind. After watching Shinya walk to school he takes his time ambling to school. Petting every stray cat, helping any old ladies across the street, he even kicks a can to delay himself. Eventually he runs into that jerk-y standoffish guy Minamoto. They walk the majority of the way to school. Funny, seems like he didn’t want to go either.

Takuya folds his arms behind his head trying to keep his eyes straight but it’s so hard to focus when he can feel Kouichi’s eyes all over his face. He feels like he’s being put under a magnifying glass with the light of the sun burning him alive. He looks over fully to see Minamoto whipping his head to the side, face beet red.

“Ne, Minamoto…” you begin, voice catching around his family name.

“What is it, Kanbara.” you make a sour face. He knew your name so you didn’t understand his need to put up distance between the two of you. What a stubborn bastard.

“What’s your dog’s name?”

“I’m not telling you that, go ask him yourself!”

“Are you inviting me over after school?” his face, if possible, gets even redder. Takuya's sure that he could guide Santa around the world with how bright the blush that stains his face is. Takuya leans closer to look at his face, tilting his head to better see.

“I can’t just take that back..dammit.”

“So do you want me staying for dinner or is it just gonna be the both of us sitting on your bed for two hours in silence kind of ordeal.”

“You can stay for dinner...I guess.” he reaches up to comb some leaves out of his long ponytail.

Takuya grins happily and continues their walk to school together.

\----------------------------

When the pair got to school Minamoto quickly leaves him to change his shoes, face still flushed pink. Takuya walks to his own cubby and changes his shoes. He’s tapping his feet against the side of the cubby to make sure they’re on properly when he hears Izumi’s voice faintly.  She sounds like she’s in the next cubby area over. _“She must be with…”_

He decides to go the long way to stand behind the two girls from a distance. Izumi’s practically glued to Kouichi’s side, one sure arm wrapped around Kouichi’s waist. Kouichi peaked around the cubby and Takuya racks his brain to think about what could be holding her attention so raptly.

“Kouichi chan you won’t talk to him?”

“I have to focus on things. It’s always so hard but I need to make sure that this time…”

“You’ll succeed this time, Kouichi chan. I know it!”

“Izumi chan…” Kouichi says, eyes most likely wide as flying saucers. There’s a pause.

“Izumi chan you’re changing the subject. Why did you turn that senior down?”

“You’re the one that got distracted! I don’t like anyone I didn’t want him to get his hopes up.”

 _“Liar.”_ Takuya thinks privately to himself.

She pokes Kouichi’s side, smile sly. “Sposami e vivi!”.[ _7_ ]

“What did you call me?”

“I said you’re silly and need to get it together!” Izumi laughs.

Kouichi continues to sulk but Izumi’s hands never leave her. She sighs and readjusts her tie. Takuya personally hated their schools ties, never remembering how to knot them, so he flat out refused to wear them. They were a tacky off shade of green anyways.

“Shit!” Kouichi whispers, voice cracking out into a squeak of surprise. “Cover me.” Izumi doesn’t hesitate to put herself in between whoever had stolen Kouichi’s attention and Kouichi herself.

She wraps her arms around Kouichi’s waist and tucks Kouichi’s head under her chin. Kouichi’s face is pressed against her collarbone, breath fanning out against the exposed skin. Izumi’s eyes flutter shut, concentration causing her face to tense up for a second before her face goes completely lax.

Takuya sees that Minamoto guy stroll past, not even sparing the two girls a glance. His long hair follows him like a bride’s train.

_“Oh.”_

Izumi senses eyes on her, eyes fluttering open, she stares openly at Takuya. Takuya doesn’t miss the way she pulls Kouichi closer, squeezes the girl tighter, green eyes vibrant as a rainforest. There was that look again like he’d stolen something dear to her. Izumi wasn’t known to have shame and Takuya knew this fact very well.

“Izumi chan we had better get to class.”

“I’ll walk you.” Izumi offers. She releases Kouichi from her embrace, instead, opting to lace their fingers together like pink and purple ribbons.

Takuya walks to class, just shy of missing the final bell, luckily he manages to make it on time. The new teacher that’s subbing is be speckled, large round glasses taking up most of his face. Takuya guesses they’re at least two inches thick. He introduces himself as “Endo sensei”.[ _8_ ]

He goes on and on about a war that never happened.[9]

During break Takuya turns in his seat and faces Minamoto, chin propped up on his hand, Minamoto flushes for a moment before glaring. Takuya offers him a cheeky smile.

“What?”

“I was just thinking.”

“About what?” impatience oozes from his tone and settles in the frown apparent on his face.

“I really like your hair I’ve noticed it before I just never really got to talk to you before, y’know?”

“Oh.”

“Yeah it really suits you! I wonder what it would look like in a braid?”

“I’m not a girl…” Minamoto says, blush returning. Takuya could tell this was a sort of sore topic for him but he wanted to be encouraging. Takuya smiles, lips tight.

“I know. My mom used to braid my hair all the time when I was really young though. I hated it, she’d pull on my hair without thinking about it and it hurt!”

“I don’t even know how to braid anyways.”

“I could braid your hair at our super awesome sleepover after school.”

“Hey now you only wanted dinner before class!” Minamoto protests.

“Is it wrong that I wanna spend time with you?”

Minamoto promptly ends the conversation, mouth snapping shut like a bear trap. Takuya had already seen that this guy was stubborn as all hell around their other classmates and he gave off this vibe-  a combination“don’t mess with me I know how to kill a man in at least 58 ways with just my pinkie” and “I’m not listening to you I know what I want and I’m not giving that up” - it was really quite charming.

Takuya had seen him be very stoic in class and even graceful when he wasn’t aware of Takuya’s presence. He stared at Takuya in class like he wanted Takuya to punch him.

Izumi breezes into the classroom silently half way into the next lecture. She takes her seat by the window.

“Now class are celestial beings the cause for all war? Are people inherently good or bad? Are they perhaps corrupted along the way?” He barrels off the questions. Endo sensei spins in a circle with his eyes screwed shut before he points to a random student. It lands on Minamoto.

“Your thoughts?”

“Pass.” Minamoto says, voice like ice shards, turning away from the teacher.

“Could you please repeat that?” Takuya isn’t sure if he legitimately can’t hear or if he’s being mean on purpose. The seemingly perma-angry look on his face gives him no indication.

“I said I’d rather not.”

“Oh. Fine then perhaps the young man in front of you has better insight into this question?”

Takuya looks around the room, hoping that he meant anyone but him, seeing no escape he lets out a puff of air.

“People -things- anything living really, are inherently good. Their environment and other people shape them! There’s no such thing as purely evil by default, something makes you become that way...something horrible. Like a lie can corrupt and change you!” Takuya says, words growing progressively louder with the strength of his conviction. No one speaks.

In fact no one even seems to breathe in that moment. Endo sensei is smirking, lips pulled up into a cruel joke of a smile. Takuya begins to sweat as he stares into the reflection of himself shining against his teacher’s bald spot. It was more like a mirror than skin.

“Is that so, Kanbara Takuya?” Endo Sensei intones. His lips don’t move. An uncomfortable silence stretches on.

Endo sensei continues speaking, voice loud enough to make Takuya’s head throb. No one seemed to have heard any of the exchange. It’s easy enough for him to believe he imagined the ordeal, but why would he imagine such a surreal and uncomfortable experience involving a new teacher?

Their teacher spins around mid word to gauge the class’ response. He notices Izumi, looking bemused, he opens his mouth.

“And where did you come from?”

“I’ve been here the whole time.” Izumi says, face upturned towards the sunlight outside.

“Your name?”

“Orimoto Izumi.”

“You didn’t respond during attendance.” Accusing.

“I did, but, you didn’t hear me.”

Endo sensei frowns before he turns to Takuya once more. Takuya begins to perspire do to the look he’s sent.

“Was she here this morning, Kanbara Takuya kun?”

“Of course she was, Sensei! She said hi to me this morning I even had a conversation about a mutual friend with her.” He internally cringes at his fumbling excuse. His words sounded too stiff to his own ears to be believable to some unnerving teacher.

Endo sensei glares at him and Takuya know he doesn’t even remotely believe a word he said. “I see.” their teacher resumes to teach lesson until the next break.

Takuya spends this break and the following interrogating Minamoto in the hopes they’ll become closer. Somehow.

“So, what’s your favorite color?”

“What’s it matter?”

“We’re friends aren’t we?”

“W-we aren’t friends!” Minamoto nearly growls. Takuya thinks the conversation is over until he hears a quiet murmur.

“Red.”

At the end of the day Izumi walks up to his desk. Her green eyes are furious. A tornado approaching in the horizon.

“We need to talk.”

“Okay?” he says looking up to gauge Minamoto’s expression. He looks ready to start an argument with Izumi but she doesn’t take her eyes off of Takuya’s face. To her in that moment Minamoto probably didn’t even exist.

“I’ll be right out.” Takuya grins at Minamoto. The blue haired boy seems to have come to an internal agreement. He casually walks out of the classroom, lingering just ever so slightly.

Now that they’re alone Takuya is beyond nervous.

“What did you need?”

“I came to give you hell.” Izumi says, cute voice blunt.

“Why?” Endo sensei had already left but even if he had stayed Takuya feels like that wouldn’t have done him any good.

Izumi grits her teeth and clenches her fists. The skin of her palms breaks, blood trickling on the floor in twelve droplets. She grabs him by the lapels and forcibly lifts him from his seat. He gasps, sure Izumi had a good 5.08 cm on him but, she didn’t look _that_ strong. On the contrary, her bones looked like birds’, hollow and easily breakable. His chair falls over behind him with a deafening clatter.

“What are you-” he chokes out, still surprised.

“Don’t fuck it up.” Izumi looks at him like a newlywed looks at a cockroach that dared to encroach on their new home.

“What do you mean?!” his feet dangle above the floor. He grips Izumi’s arms. His knuckles go white under the force but she doesn’t flinch. He didn’t want to fight but he didn’t want to be pushed around either.

“I mean, don’t do something stupid and heroic. You can stop being the hero.” she unceremoniously deposits him back to the floor, flipping her long blonde hair over one shoulder. In that moment she looks like she has wings shimmering behind her.

“The hero?” he says aloud to himself as Izumi leaves the room. He stands there dumbfounded for a few minutes before Minamoto’s peaking into the classroom.

They walk out together bumping shoulders like slow bumper cars. Eventually Minamoto speaks.

“A love confession?”

“Huh? You mean her? Nah, she doesn’t like anyone.” It comes out sounding like a lie to himself but he thinks, for just a moment, that Minamoto looks relieved.

“Why...d’you like her or something?” he asks, sly smile spreading across his face. He wraps an arm around Minamoto’s shoulder.

“As if.” Minamoto harshly elbows Takuya in the ribs.

\-------

The two boys hang out in Minamoto’s bedroom, sprawled out on his bed, kicking a soccer ball without breaking anything, talking about games they like. Kouji surprisingly likes Final Fantasy. Takuya’s never played it before but the way Kouji mentions it makes him want to.

His question is born from curiosity and the lull in their conversation. It’s easy to ask the boy beside him personal things for whatever reason.

“Have you talked to Kouichi lately?”

Minamoto gives him an odd look. “Who?”

“Oh so you don’t know-” they’re interrupted by a woman’s voice.

“Kouji come down to dinner! Is your little friend staying?”

Kouji blushes beet red, looking away from Takuya’s sunshine grin.

“Yeah! Be down in a minute, Mom!”

Takuya wraps his arms around Kouji and laughs brightly. “Hahaha your face! It’s okay you should hear my mom!!” Kouji glares and weakly pushes at Takuya. His words lack the usual bite.

“Knock it off, bastard.”

They head downstairs and eat dinner with Kouji’s family. Kouji’s mom doesn’t really look like him. He’s shocked out out of his pondering when he hears a whimper. Koiji’s old dog has his head in the boy’s lap, gently butting his head against Kouji’s tummy. His mother laughs, playfully scolding the dog. In between smiles and laughter Kouji looks at Takuya funny.

After dinner they get ready for bed, Takuya takes off his shirt and then his binder, asking to borrow one of Kouichi’s. He was softer around the edges and had a roundness to his tummy along with baby fat that stubbornly clung to his cheeks.

Kouji seems ready to faint but he hands over the requested item without protest. The cotton of Kouji’s t-shirt feels like silk against the soft of his sides and tummy. The shirt rides up a little but not enough to bother him. After a minute of quiet debate, they both decide to sleep on the floor together, Kouji’s dog bounding into the room and squirming his way in between them. Takuya absentmindedly pets the elderly dog, fur soft and warm under his palm.

When he glances over tears run freely down Kouji’s face. His cheeks are red and his eyes glazed.

“Kouj-” Takuya begins, stunned at the sight of tears falling down Kouji’s face. He looks like an angel.

“It’s funny. The name Kouichi has such a nostalgic ring to it.”

\----

There is no school tomorrow. Endo sensei was found stabbed to death in the boy’s locker room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter in particular goes out to the first person to comment on my series! I had been feeling very depressed about this fic because I saw that no one was giving me feed back. I wondered if anyone actually truly liked my series and wanted me to continue. I was only continuing out of spite because I hate leaving things unfinished. I would like to say that this fic is now planned to have eight chapters, but it is part of a series...  
> I am also working on a text adventure game explaining the events of the story. I plan to have it finished by the end of January since I will be swamped by state test preparations. 
> 
> So this chapter goes out to user FruitSnapple (sorry for not responding to your comment I was so excited and just completely speechless! I hope that you will continue to support my series and perhaps in one of the "parts" I could write you something by request.


	7. Purple and Pink Ribbons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Courage sometimes back fires or "the search for Kimura Kouichi commences".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH, GRAPHIC DEPECTIONS OF DEATH/VIOLENCE, DON'T READ IF YOU THINK THESE SUBJECTS MAY TRIGGER YOU
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9ikyZWZm74 listen to this during the second half for full exprience.

Murders continued on like that throughout the next few days. Every time that the administrator would hire a new teacher they would be found dead within hours. Takuya wasn’t sure whose bright idea that was to continue as if nothing was happening. It was pathetic but he knew. He knew who was committing the murders. She didn’t seem anywhere near stopping.

 

He needed to talk to her and confirm his thoughts.

 

Takuya grabs the family phone and does his best to track down Izumi’s phone number. Kouichi said she was over there often enough. It goes straight to the voicemail every time he tries, like the phones had been disconnected.

 

He decides it's time to go to his second option. As hesitant as he is to do so.

 

He dials up Kouichi’s home phone.

 

Before even the first ring has ended a frantic but hopeful female voice says over the phone “Kouichi?”

 

Takuya is blown away and unable to muster up a reply. Kouichi’s mother continues.

 

“Kouichi? Where are you? Kouichi you were gone for three-” Takuya clears his throat. Wincing as she abruptly stops making any sound on her side.

 

“Um, this is Kanbara speaking. I was wondering if your daughter was there?” the phone goes silent for a minute. Kouichi’s mother’s breathing goes harsh and static-y over the phone.

 

“I don’t have a daughter, why don’t you go solicit someone else… Pervert." [10]

 

 

“Wait! I’m not-” Takuya tries to keep her on longer but she hangs up on him as suddenly as she had answered.

 

“Three what? Hours?” Takuya muses aloud to himself, unsure of what she had meant. He stares up at his ceiling and squints at a water stain.

If she had meant three hours then why would she sound so panicked? It was still fairly early in the afternoon after all. Takuya runs a hand through his chestnut colored hair.

“Unless…” his thoughts suddenly take a  dark turn.

“She meant three days…”

Maybe she was over at Izumi’s and hiding from her Mother? But why would she do that. He can’t safely sneak out today or his own Mother would call the police. Or worse go out looking for him herself.

With that matter finally decided he heads downstairs to play with Shinya. His insides feel like concrete. He makes sure to tell Shinya he loves him, even though it’s covered up by a quick headlock.

\-----

As he walks down the road he can’t help but think that all of this was a mistake. That he shouldn’t be going but Takuya was stubborn, continuing on as if he didn’t feel like something was physically trying to stop him. If he had looked behind perhaps he would have seen a flash of blue.

When he gets to school no one’s there.

“It was ridiculous to even come here…” he kicks a stone around. He felt a pull towards the gym and decided to follow it. At least he could try and find Kouichi. Even if he didn’t find her here he’d keep searching.

As he neared the gym he could hear faint voices. A boy maybe a year older than Shinya and an older boy stood just outside of the gym. The boy had a baseball bat and his hat sat crookedly on his head. He looked like a baker’s kid, hat falling into his eyes occasionally.

“Tomoki we shouldn’t be here.”

“You can go home if you want but I’m gonna catch that killer! I’ll be a hero, Junpei~” he sounds determined,  but the way he holds the bat makes Takuya think otherwise. His head hurts when he looks at them, static blocking his vision. When he can see and think clearly once more he’s behind them. Plucking the bat out of Tomoki’s hands he tuts.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing with this thing? There isn’t a murderer here right now! There’s no teachers!” he tugs at Tomoki’s ear. He’s lying but it’s a necessary evil in this case. Tomoki jumps and nearly screams out in terror.

“You could have hit my friend! She’s here picking something important to her up!” he glares at the older boy, Junpei.

“You shouldn’t let your little brother go around waving a baseball bat like he’s some vigilante! He could’ve killed her if he decided she looked suspicious.”

“He’s not my-” Junpei begins before the shaking interrupts him.

The ground shook below them. Takuya had experienced plenty of earthquakes in his life but this time it felt like the ground was going to crack open and something straight from a hellish nightmare was going to pop up.

Takuya really should have trusted his feelings more often.

A large creature sprung forth from the ground, sending large chunks of rock flying. It looked like a cross between a rabbit and a clown.

“What...the?!” Takuya gasps as it’s head towers far above the gym. He looks over to the other two boys to see the gym door closing. “Shit!” he follows them though all he really wants to do is figure out just what to do about the imposing monster JUST OUTSIDE of the gym.

Junpei and Tomoki cower behind the bleachers. It’s dark in here, incredibly dark. He can just faintly make out a figure in the center of the gym, hands still locked around an older man’s neck.

“Kouichi…” Kouichi drops the body, shoulders moving up in down as she takes in deep breaths.

“Cherubimon…” she says, entire body shaking with her righteous wrath.

The monster crashes through the ceiling and towers above her. It cackles. Kouichi stands taller, feet shoulder width apart.

“You’re here? You were my underling once, Duskmon. I’ll defeat you and kill all the other chosen children so Lucemon sama doesn’t even have to lift a finger!”

“I’m not Duskmon your pawn, I am Kimura Kouichi!” before Takuya’s eyes she seems to change form, purple glow emerging from her chest.

Takuya swears he sees armor cover up the entirety of her body. The air tastes thick with something not from this world. A lioness stands before him, tall and proud.

“Kou...ichi?” Takuya hears Kouji’s voice whisper from behind him, he nearly jumps high enough to crack his head against the nonexistent ceiling. He places a gloved hand to his racing heart.

“What the hell are you doing here?” He whispers back harshly. Kouji frowns at him, entire face going sour.

“I needed to see you. I was going to call out for you until I saw you head to the school. I didn't want you ending up murdered or anything.” His cheeks flush slightly even in a situation as dire as this.

“That's good to know?” Takuya feels strange talking casually like this when there was something blatantly very wrong with the big picture here. He wants to stay as he is, ready to help Kouichi if she needs it, if only for a distraction. He doesn't want his distraction to hurt the unintended target, though. He's drawn out of his thoughts by the continued verbal exchange.

“You'll wish you had stayed by my side. Cherubi Fi-” the monster is interrupted by a sensation easily comparable to that of an ant trying to beat you with a toothpick.

“Leave her alone!” Takuya’s too out of sorts to scream. Tomoki glares up at Cheribumon, knees knocking together.

“Cherubi Hand!” The beast’s palm descends down on Tomoki, horrible, divine judgement. Kouichi isn't fast enough to intercept the palm, disorientated by Tomoki’s appearance. She looks sick to her stomach.

“Tomoki!” Junpei jumps over to Tomoki, pulling the boy to his chest and curling in on himself. Everyone in the room looks horrified at the sight. Junpei and  Tomoki are both crushed in an instant.

Tears stream down Kouichi’s face. “Endlich Meteor.” A stream of light and dark energy stream from her chest. She's abruptly swallowed up my Cherubimon, spat out like old chewing gum.

“THAT could've been very bad for me, ne, Duskmon?” The creature lets forth horrifying shriek of laughter after horrifying shriek of laughter. “Now onto the other two chosen brats.” Kouichi struggles in earnest inside the dark bubble, form warped through the see through prison. She stills for a moment, Takuya can practically see her heart stop.

“Final judgement!” Cherubimon screams. A thundercloud forms above them and rains down lighting bolts. Takuya feels the shocks to his system and cries out as the force of the lightning spears breaks a few of his bones. He crumpled onto the gym floor.

Kouji's in a worse boat than he is, remaining standing longer and resisting it all. It's as if the cloud is sentient with his viciously it targets Kouji. Kouichi screams as Kouji’s body goes limp.

He lands all but 0.305 meters away from Takuya. His face screwed up. He cries out as his body twitches. Kouji turns his head the best he can to face Takuya.

“Who was that?” He asks, Kouichi yelling curses at Cherubimon.

“That's your twin sister. She really wanted to meet you.” Takuya licks his split lips, his mouth feels like he tried to swallow a sock.

“Shitty way for her to meet me…” Kouji trails off. Takuya watches tears stream down Kouji’s face, making trails on his dirty face.

“Takuya?”

“Yeah?” Takuya asks, wants to hear anything Kouji wanted to tell him.

“I-I really wanted to be your friend...ever since day one.” Kouji confesses as if that's the one thing that had grated on his mind the most.

“Aren't you glad I pushed you?” Takuya wheezes out a laugh, his lungs hurt. He smiles at Kouji.

“I'm glad I met you.” Kouji says, the tears fall down his face faster now. Kouji reaches out an arm, moving as much as he can bear. It's not enough. Takuya wants to reach back but he can't feel his arms. His gaze goes spacey.

“Oi?! Kouji! You're not-” he's crying now too. Kouji couldn't be…

Takuya watches the light leave Kouji’s eyes and shouts. Tells him boy to leave, begs him not to leave again. He pleads for things he doesn't understand. Static fills his mind before he feels like a battery over charged and ready to explode.

He can't remember ever feeling so hopeless.

He can’t move at all. Everything's on fire and for once it's not comforting. Kouji was dead… Kouji was a nice guy even though Takuya didn't know him very well. Pieces of blue hair fall out of his French braided hair.

 

Kouji’s hand is still outstretched towards his. Takuya feels like screaming out to him again. A stream of blue light errupts from his chest and Takuya watches on, eyes wide through his tears as it goes into him. He can't physically feel it but his heart burns like he's in love. He isn't sure who's feelings he's experiencing. 

 

“ **Lightning Spear** ” Cherubimon shouts. Voice booming. It feels like the end.

 

Takuya contemplates all the choices he’s made in his life, wonders what he could've done to prevent this. All of this. If only he hadn't been a coward and ran away.

 

He isn't sure where that feeling comes from. He can't remember running away from anything lately. He feels the guilt and shame weigh heavily on his heart, burn the back of his mind.

 

Takuya wonders where his bravery went. Knows it's too late to get it back. He closes his eyes and scrunched his face up. A spear of lightning cracks through the air. He waits for it to come, hating himself for being unable to do anything. He hears a loud snapping noise. Someone must be dead. Was he dead?

 

His eyes snap open at Kouichi’s voice.

 

“Izumi chan! You weren't supposed to be here! No one was supposed to be here...” Her deep voice calls out to her friend. She's well into hysterics. Takuya feels guilt well up in his chest. He had come here, distracted Kouichi, led Kouji to his death, hadn't been able to do anything good…

 

He watches as Izumi’s chest begin to glow and bird calls fill the air. A shiver races down his spine. Birds of prey come to his mind unbidden. Before his very eyes Izumi does something incredible.

 

She soars up to the creature and delivers a barrage of kicks. Her lithe form weaves through the air gracefully but with a nearly single minded determinedness. He watches on in fascinated horror as she carves through it at times, legs like drills.

 

He thinks of how effortlessly she had lifted him in the classroom. She had been strong but he had never thought she'd be this strong.

 

The creature shrieks and swats at her. She's too fast. Takuya can barely follow her zipping through the air with his eyes. She yells back at it, voice ear shattering in its volume and pitch. He really wishes he could move his hands, cover his ears and not have to listen to the calls of inevitable death.

 

“Roseo Temporale!” she rapidly kicks the enemy, finishing off with a backflip kick. When the light hits her just right, Takuya can see wings behind her.

 

Her appearance changes like Kouichi’s had.

 

“Gilgamesh Upper!” she delivers a harsh hook before flowing into the next attack.

 

“Wind of pain!” feathers lodge into the beast’s flesh. Not a single feather misses its mark.

 

He shivers as he watches her deadly precision. Her grace unrivaled. She goes back and assesses the damage. The monster still standing, if only by sheer will alone. It's losing a great volume of blood. Though she had caused all the wounds there isn't a speck of blood on her body.

 

“Izumi!” He shouts, Izumi what are you doing? She moves down to hoist him up but is stopped by Cherubimon’s voice.

 

“ **Thousand Spear** ” the creature’s aim is off due to how weak it is. He braces himself but not a single lightning spear goes in his direction. The bubble surrounding Kouichi is gone. Takuya wants to stand up and help Izumi and Kouichi so they didn't have to shoulder everything alone. He can't move.

 

Everything moves in seconds that feel like millennia. Kouichi’s still too off balanced. She wobbles where she stands like she's standing for the first time in a great while.

 

Takuya tries to scream out to her. Tell her to move. In a blur of color, Izumi’s there.

 

She closes in towards Kouichi at breakneck speed. She manages to blow most of spears away with a swoosh of air from her ‘Fiorente Furiata.’

 

Takuya feels rising joy in him, until he realizes. The elation he had felt quickly plummets into despair. The rest continue on their planned trajectory. Izumi stands before Kouichi, long, slender arms outstretched, stance defiant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://twitter.com/ArsDaemonum/status/804060659927445508 Look at the fanart Ars drew!!


	8. Don't Let It Die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone will die, and everyone will lose  
> So what you going to do with the moments you have before it's you?  
> It doesn't mean goodbye  
> It's just a simple truth  
> The shedding of a lifetime of layers that once embodied you  
> Like winter into spring and summer into fall  
> The cycle of intense introspection before the curtain call  
> Cause everyone must die and everyone must lose  
> So who you going to love in meantime before it catches you?
> 
> Everyone will die (Everyone will die)  
> Everyone will lose (Everyone will lose)  
> It doesn't mean goodbye (It doesn't mean goodbye)  
> It's just a simple truth
> 
> Every single smile and every single tear  
> Reminders of the moments we shared in the instant we were here  
> If everyone will die and everyone will lose  
> Then who you going to love in the meantime before it catches you?
> 
> \- Motion City Soundtrack

Twenty spears of lightning go through her flesh and impale her. She coughs up blood in a large puddle at her feet. She coughs again and ends up staining her pink trainers. He's screaming now, Kouichi’s screaming too, her voice louder than his own.

  
The stench of blood and charred flesh assaults his nose worse than ever before. Izumi stands there tall and proud. Twenty spears of Lightning stuck through her. Kouichi’s legs give out from the pure shock of it.

  
Shock and anger form a dangerous cocktail within him. It bursts like a dam.

  
“Izumi what did you do?! You told me to not do something stupid and heroic! You hypocrite, is your pride that big?!” He can see by the look in her eyes that this had been her intention the entire time since she stepped foot inside. Had been prepared for this outcome. She had known he would come though he isn't sure how. He resents her for sacrificing herself. She had went out to die like a hero despite threatening him not to do so also. Had she planned this since the other day?

  
She grits her teeth and bares them at him. He glares back trying not to feel intimidated. It was a hard feat since she very well nearly took down another-worldly monster by herself. Izumi snarls at him “It’s never been pride! Everything I’ve done for her was out of love! Every single time and in every single life!” She pauses to rip a particularly bad spear out of herself. It burns her hands, even from this far away he can see it. Winces in sympathy.

  
“I’ll be her hero. Every time she falters I'll be there to support her until she can stand on her own. Every time she is in despair I will be there to offer her hope! I'll be her knight!” Any will to argue leaves, fight sapping out of him. He’s too surprised, unable to speak.

  
She breaks most of the spears lodged through the front of her chest and abdomen off inside of her, burning her hands worse and worse as she goes on.

  
Unceremoniously she drops to her knees to be level with Kouichi. Izumi reaches out a hand to smooth through Kouichi’s hair, the action tender and romantic. Takuya can barely see through the blur of his tears, equal parts pain and grief. He sees Kouichi shaking with the force of her sobs. She reaches her hands out to place them on Izumi. Izumi moves her hands to her shoulders instead of near the spears.

  
She hums softly and smiles at the other girl. It sounds familiar but he can’t place it. Her hand strokes Kouichi’s cheek. Takuya’s heart breaks as she gasps and chokes out an “Izumi chan-!”

  
“Don't cry Kouichi chan, us girls need to look out for each other!” She’s losing blood faster, red liquid spreading across the gym flood. Her body twitches like a bird being shocked postmortem.

  
“How about this… next time I'll get you a dozen red roses. Don't think I'll forget. My memory’s great after all.” She says cutely, free thumb at her lips. Blood collects on it. He can see the stain of it. Kouichi can’t force any words out.

  
“Once you defeat the bad guys I'll tell you a secret…”

  
Kouichi’s shaking harder, eyes wide and looking at only her. “Secrets are best kept between best friends… but until then, take them.” She presses Kouichi’s hand to her breast, over her heart, she looks so pale.

  
Kouichi’s hand tremors increase when she realizes some secret only her and Izumi can understand. She thumbs Kouichi’s lower lip tenderly, her blood smearing against chapped lips. She brushes her lips across the bridge of Kouichi’s nose where the cluster of twelve freckles lay.

  
Her body convulses, Takuya can’t bear to watch. His eyes remain opened wide despite is efforts to block it out. Two bursts of light explode from Izumi’s chest, going into Kouichi.

  
Kouichi takes her into her arms, Izumi’s cheek pressed against the girl’s chest where she can feel her racing pulse. Kouichi holds her like a dying lover. Calls her name again and again, growing more desperate as the seconds draw on.

  
Takuya can’t understand how she’s able to smile in the face of death.

  
She reaches up blindly, feeble but determined. Kouichi takes her hand in hers. Tears splatter against her face.

  
Kouichi’s face is smeared and flecked with Izumi’s blood. Her blood is everywhere on Kouichi. In her hair, staining the front of her shirt, staining her white pants. Oh God./p>

  
Her lungs and other vital organs had been pierced. Takuya isn't even sure how she’s still breathing.

  
Kouichi’s hand rests atop Izumi's. Takuya watches Izumi lace their fingers together. Like pink and purple ribbons.

  
Takuya realizes what all those looks aimed his way had meant. Feels sympathy rise up in his throat to choke him.

  
Izumi dies in Kouichi’s arms, leaving her with a smile. Her body continues to convulse in death, the spears of lightning shocking her and sending electricity through her body.

  
“Stop it.” Takuya croaks. Izumi twitches.

  
“Stop it.” He says louder this time. His tears sizzle against his skin, like water in a frying pan.

  
Kouichi leans down to press Izumi’s forehead to hers, tries to compose herself.

  
“Stop it!” he shouts, voice cracking and straining. His throat is raw and sorrow sore.  
Kouichi stills, tears streaming down her face. She’s snapped out of whatever daze she was in. Standing up, Izumi cradled in her arms, Takuya can’t see her face. She sets Izumi to her feet. She dangles, legs twisting strangely. Her body twitches and spasms.

  
Kouichi pulls the lightning spears out of Izumi, hands blistering and bleeding. Takuya realizes that, in that moment, Kouichi wasn’t snapped out of it. Fear washes over him in waves as Kouichi sets Izumi down, so gently, on the floor. She folds Izumi’s hands to her stomach, tries to give her dignity.

  
Kouichi walks over to where Kouji lays, short blue hair bouncing with every step. She walks through the blood and carnage, covered in it, shoulders set back like a warrior. She takes steps as though she’s in an old video game, static after images, appearing in one place after only a second. It hurts Takuya’s head just watching.

  
She kneels beside Kouji, a single tear plopping down against his face. She reaches out a hand to smooth the hair out of his face, fingers trembling imperceptibly. She looks over at him and his heart stops. She stands up and stares down Cherubimon.

  
Takuya turns his attention back to the monster, fear making his insides tense up. It had been whispering something to itself the entire time, Takuya had heard it distantly, not making the connection.

  
“Endlich Meteor.” Kouichi shouts. A burst of dark energy, that looks more like the meteor that killed the dinosaurs, shoots from her chest. Cherubimon lets forth an Earth shattering shriek as it finally dies.

  
Kouichi hunches over, elbows on her knees as she wheezes.

  
“Y-you did it!” Relief floods Takuya’s heart, his muscles unclenching….But at the base of his spine a persistent warning beacon.

  
Kouichi’s hair hangs in her blue eyes. She isn’t facing him.

  
“You’re wrong, Takuya. It's just started.” the sky opens up above them and a dragon of revelation begins to descend on them. Takuya’s heart drops into his stomach.

  
The dragon was mostly purple with stripes of gold across its scales. Ten wings sprout from its back and it’s arms are like a bat’s. Numerous eyes cover it’s claw tipped scale. It shrieks and growls and hisses, leaving destruction in its wake. The foundation of the very Earth shifts as it comes closer.

  
“Kouichi!” Takuya yells, heart hammering so fast in his chest it feels like it’s stopped completely.

  
“This hasn’t happened before.” Her eyes are wide with horror but by the tone of her voice, she isn’t very surprised.

  
“What do we do? Kouichi?”

  
“You weren’t supposed to be here, none of you were supposed to be here.” Kouichi says as she tucks a clump of blood heavy blue hair behind her ear.

  
“What do we do?” Takuya repeats, because what can he really do?

  
“Do you trust me?” Kouichi asks. Takuya finds it strange to be asking such obvious things at a time like this.

  
“Of course I do, Kouichi!” Kouichi kneels beside him and pulls him into her lap. It’s embarrassing to be held in such a way but Takuya endures it.

  
“We need to become one. We need Susanoomon.” Takuya’s eyes bug out of his head. He feels like he’s the one being propositioned. Kouichi’s Mother would probably have an aneurysm.

  
“Do you think now’s really the time?” his face feels hot, flushing all the way down to his collar bone.

  
“Of course. It’s the only way. Now focus on the feeling in your heart. I’ve never done this with anyone before...I don’t know if it’ll hurt.” Kouichi’s eyes flutter shut.

  
“Kouichi…”

  
“Close your eyes, Takuya. You can feel Koji in you. The others will emerge.” Takuya feels like he’s missing a key part of this conversation, lost in this exchange. He does as he’s told and focuses on trying to feel Kouichi’s arms around him. He’s startled that he’s able to feel everything now.

  
“I want to believe.” he whispers to himself. Kouichi presses her forehead to his, knocking off his cracked goggles to the ground. They make a noticeable clatter. He doesn’t pay attention to them. His body feels hot like he’s roasting, beams of light shoot at them from all directions and together they glow.

  
A brief bout of excruciating pain nearly overcomes him. It feels like all of his bones are shifting and snapping and something’s crushing him, molding him into something new. When he opens his eyes Kouichi is there, body glowing purple. Everything's too bright for him to make out anything beyond her face and general outline. Static along the edges.

  
When he looks down he sees that he too is in a similar state, glowing orange. Kouichi reaches out her hand to hold his and he accepts it, squeezing their hands together to reassure both himself and Kouichi.

  
“What is this?” it’s so warm, there is no end or beginning to the light around him. Though only Kouichi and he are there he doesn’t feel alone.

  
“Susanoomon.” Kouichi says, her smile melancholy. Takuya looks around him and frowns. When he blinks again he can look down at Susanoomon’s hands. Hands large, too large. Black and red armor cover it’s hands and attached to its forearms a wolf and dragon’s heads.

  
“Do you hate it here? With me?” Kouichi asks suddenly. Takuya’s heart stutters.

  
“Of course not.”

  
“Let’s go, then.” Together they lift off from the ground as not just Takuya and Kouichi, but as Susanoomon.  
“We should destroy the dragon.” Takuya says, his voice echoes strangely. Kouichi sighs and looks at him with a deep fondness in her eyes.

  
“You see that orb it’s holding? We need to get that first- that’s the brain, that’s what Lucemon really is- if we get that we can destroy the body.” there’s a secret smile in her eyes that Takuya doesn’t understand.

  
“Really you were the one that suggested that. You’re very forgetful, Takuya.” her words cause his head to spin. When she talked like that, as if he should know what she means and she wants to convey it to him, even though she knows he doesn’t remember what she’s talking about.

  
“Huh? Okay, I trust you.” He feels so close to Kouichi, feels their heart beats sync up.

  
Susanoomon distracts Lucemon with a sharp kick to it’s face. Lucemon stops destroying everything around it to turn it’s attention to Susanoomon. With Kouichi by his side the fear lessens until only a deep feeling of courage fills him. He stands with her up against the end of the world.

  
It attacks with Dimension Slicer, though Takuya isn't sure how he knows the name. Susanoomon is too fast for the creature, their combined determination strengthening Susanoomon. Susanoomon kicks it before it summoning a large thundercloud.

  
Eight thunder bolts drop from it and transform into dragon like spirits. Takuya’s in awe at the sight.

  
“We’re going in.” Kouichi says, drawing his attention away from the spectacle. Takuya doesn't have time to register what she's said until they're inside of the strange orb. It's dark and incredibly cold inside. So unlike Kouichi holding his hand. They emerge once once so that the dragon spirits can do their job.

  
Lucemon’s insides rain down on the surrounding area. Purple and gold everywhere they look down, for miles and miles.

  
“We did it!” Takuya shouts. He feels incredibly joy spread throughout him. He wraps his arms around Kouichi. They're so close Takuya things they really could become one person, share one mind and body. There's tears in his eyes and a grin stretching across his face so wide it hurts.

  
“I'm so glad I met you!” Takuya feels fit to burst. Kuoichi's stock still in his arms before she wraps her arms around him. She smiles against his cheek. He's surprised by the wetness he's greeted with.

  
“We’ll laugh about this someday.” Takuya’s heart stops. He’s unable to look at her face. In one second he's forcefully ejected from Susanoomon. Body flying through the air.

  
“Kouichi!” He shouts.

  
A large larvae like creature speeds towards Susanoomon, towards Kouichi.

  
“Ama-no-Habakiri!” Susanoomon booms. It uses ZERO ARMS: Orochi to slash its sword with holy fire through the creature like butter.

  
The larvae explodes, raining down on everything.

  
“KOUICHI!” He shouts louder, more desperate this time.

  
It's quite accurate to say that the situation goes from horrible to worse. Takuya hadn't thought it could end like this.

  
Everything has already gone to shit he thought, that was, until the universe froze. Everything goes into black nothingness. Takuya can't move or scream.

  
Susanoomon stands at the center of nothing and disperses. He sees Kouichi glowing purple and so very far away. He thinks he hears a voice but nothing matters in that moment because he ceases to exist in that universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Izumi refers to the boy using "Omae". By Wikipedia's definition: Slightly condescending if used by a higher status peer to refer to a lower status peer, very informal between close equal-status peers, extremely rude in other situations.
> 
> 2\. Izumi says "Ti volgio bene" which is Italian. It has a few different translations. The first being "I really want you/I really love you." You would say this to a bestfriend/girlfriend/boyfriend. It isn't "soul mate love". The literal translation is "I want your good/I want you good." It is less strong than "ti amo", but is sweeter. "Ti amo" deals with physical attraction, whereas "Ti volgio bene" deals with feelings. It's more commonly used between friends and family. Lovers may also say this. ["Ti voglio bene can be said to a friend to show affection and love, but also to the girl/boy you like, in fact kids send sms with TVB or write that in their diaries, like english speaking people would write ILU, or ILY for I love you. That TVB is often used between boyfriend and girlfriend." ](http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/ti-voglio-bene-vs-ti-amo.4535)
> 
> 3\. Kouichi and her Mother live in a two room apartment complex. They don't have a lot of money to spare on lavish housing.
> 
> 4\. Very direct foreshadowing. First mentioned in chapter 4: Canabalistic Akagi Sensei. “Pretty girls get roses right? I just wanted to say thanks…” Kouichi’s face is scarlet, blue eyes wide. Takuya gathers his bag and leaves with the parting words, “Don’t let it die.”  
> It's addressed in the next chapter during Takuya's dream (chapter 5: I Love You). The rose is meant to represent Takuya and his life. In Takuya's nightmare he does ends up making Kouichi kill him and hurts her in the process. Kouichi follows through on her silent promise in chapter 8: Don't Let it Die. Takuya doesn't die before the reset, which is the first time that's happened. 
> 
> 5\. Kouichi is not out to her Mother. She loves her Mother and wishes for her safety, but is still hurt by how she was lied to. Kouichi's Mother works two jobs a week, as a nurse and at a store. She doesn't see her daughter as often as she would like. She's a single Mother without support and too many hospital bills.
> 
> 6\. "Significhi tutto per me." (You mean everything to me.)
> 
> 7\. ["Sposami e vivi!" ( Marry me and live!)](https://glosbe.com/it/en/sposami)
> 
> 8\. [Endo name meaning: From the Japanese 遠 (en) "distant" and 藤 (to, do or fuji) "wisteria." ](http://surnames.behindthename.com/submit/names/usage/japanese) A very direct reference to him being Mercuremon. Mercuremon is from a very distant time (the Digital World. it has been four years since the Digital World) a meaning for the flower Wisteria is ["Serious devotion"](http://www.flowermeaning.com/wisteria-flower/) in reference to his loyalty to Cherubimon. 
> 
> 9\. Endo sensei lectures the class on the great Digital War that the original Legendary Spirits fought. He uses very broad terms and is vague. 
> 
> 10\. Kouichi's Mother mistakenly assumes Takuya is soliciting her. Because Kouichi is not out to her Mother and Takuya's voice, she thinks Takuya is a pervert calling a "sex hotline".


	9. Requiem of the Breeze (Bonus)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izumi always remembers.

Izumi curled up even tighter in her fetal position. Her long blonde hair floated around her like she was underwater. She’s naked and everything glows a bright pink. It’s so warm, everything a pleasant burn. Nothing but she existed in this area. There was no oxygen or even a breeze. Though she doesn’t need to breathe every inhale feels like swallowing warm sea water and expelling it once more, leaving bubbles in its wake. Where was Kouichi? Was she crying still...The timeline was being reset, the universe shifting around and adjusting itself.

 

Though everything was beginning anew, Izumi felt a deep sense of  loneliness and failure begin to drown her. They lied. Time doesn’t heal all wounds, only replaces the memories with new ones to distract you.

 

“Orimoto Izumi.” A familiar voice calls out.

 

When she opens her eyes, everything’s fuzzy around the edges like a fever dream. She isn’t alone, the voice exists there somewhere out of reach, and within her the spirits. They whisper reassuring words to her. Praise her for the battle, tell her secrets in a tongue that hasn’t been used in perhaps thousands of years. Time had no meaning for her really. She counted time in the number of Kouichi’s freckles.

 

“Ofanimon.” she says, tone casual as if the world hadn’t just ended again and was reshaping itself. Minutes, hours, centuries… It didn’t matter.

 

“Orimoto Izumi... why does she not realize? Why don’t you tell her?” Ofanimon’s voice echoes in her head. Her lips don’t move as she replies.

 

“She has to bear enough pain as it is. I’m the only one that knows and that’s fine. I’ll tell her once this is all over and we’re all together.”

 

“Kanbara Takuya realized sooner than he did last time. If only partially.”  Izumi didn’t need the angel pointing that out to her. She knew.

 

“He did.” Izumi’s eyebrow twitches. She felt bad for how she had treated Takuya this time around. She wanted to be friends with him, like she had been the first time, but she had to make sure he and the others wouldn’t die.

 

Kouichi had become top priority.

 

“Minamoto Kouji never realizes. He only allows others to realize… Shibayama Junpei and Himi Tomoki never realize...Tell me why you’re different?” Izumi laughs at the angel. Laughs at everything. Laughs at how fucked up her life is.

 

“Darkness is a principle of any universe...she never remembers outside of these months. I remember because I am wind...Because of my wish.” Ofanimon’s voice leaves her for a period of time that could’ve been anything. Seconds, moments, hours, days, months, years, millennia. Kouichi’s freckles.

 

“You had always been different in the Digital world...That first time...that other time.” Ofanimon observes. Izumi was an unaccountable outlier and she knew that. She had the strongest connection out of any of the others.

 

“It’s a noble cause...everything you’re doing. Her wish has only brought pain unfortunately. Tell me, why do you continue on at her side even if she won’t remember you?”

 

Ofanimon had never been good at understanding human children, would never be. It was alright for her to continue asking. Izumi hadn’t ever minded.

 

“Kouichi chan wished to save her friends, as many tries as it takes. I’m her best friend.” Izumi unfurls, spread eagle as she stares at nothing. Wide green eyes unseeing. When she closes her eyes she can see Kouichi’s crying face, feel the sensation of her tears against her face.

 

“And your wish?” Izumi’s expression turns wistful.

 

“I wished for something you should understand. I wished for love. It’s a painful wish, that I was granted. I don’t regret it. I wanted to reach out and grasp it as it took form.” she reaches her hand out to nothing, fingers clenching around nothing. She smiles serenely.

 

“Don’t you think that’s a cruel wish? God must hate and love me equally.” Ofanimon doesn’t answer her. Izumi continues as if there wasn’t a pause in the conversation.

 

“You should know best. If you’re “protector of God’s love”, then I want to always be “protector of Kouichi chan’s love”.” She brushes her fingertips to her bottom lip. Remembers how she had pressed her bloodied fingers against Kouichi’s lips.

 

“An indirect kiss.” her fingers linger their, imagining.

 

“It’s time, Ofanimon.” Izumi says.

 

“You don’t have to do this…”

 

“I know what I need to do. After all…” Kouichi’s face flashes through her mind. “Us girls need to stick out for one eachother.”

 

The spirits in her hum and screech, restless. In an instant her body convulses as it experiences every injury, every wound from the past twelve months. That isn’t the worst pain she’s had to endure. She doesn’t have time to brace herself as she’s torn in two. Spirits ejected from her. They quickly fuse back into one half of her. The Izumi across from her smiles at her and kisses her forehead before she falls asleep, remaining in this strange nothingness.

 

She is herself.

  
She’s forced out of the nothingness. Izumi Orimoto is reborn. Short tufts of blonde hair, deep green eyes. She’s born crying, smile stretching her cheeks, toothless. Her first words are Kouichi’s name, her dreams full of memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an introduction into my upcoming fanfic series "Just Keep Trying"! It will be entirely focused in Izumi's point of view. Sorry if this is so short.

**Author's Note:**

> ill update every night until friday.  
> chapters will be short-ish


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